In The Light
by Artemis615
Summary: Kanda Yuu's in for a bargain this time, as he found an Innocence and an Accomodator while he is on a mission. That particular Accomodator is named as Laia Elfreya; extremely innocent and mysterious, with the power to see the souls in akumas. She is a beautiful one, and Kanda couldn't help but be jealous when Daisya treats her so nice in front of him. KandaxOC
1. Shouka: Before Prelude

**Hello Everyone! This is my new fic, and its ! Oh my god! I've finally managed to write this up and post it here! I hope everyone would love this as much as I love it! Thanks for the support and I love you all!**

* * *

**Chapter 1  
Shouka: Before the Prelude**

**Place -Old Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Level 2 - Medical Wing  
Time: Early Evening **

When Kanda entered headquarters via the underground waterway along with another new accommodator, he was immediately bombarded by members of the medical treatment section who rushed forward to heal him.

"Kanda-san!" said one doctor, preparing to drag Kanda into the infirmary when he brushes off the doctor away coldly. "You're all bloody! Please, come to the treatment room right away!"

All Kanda want to do right now is to simply head straight towards his room, locating at the highest level of the tower of Black Order Headquarters.

"Leave me alone. It's not a deep wound," Kanda answered gruffly and coldly, not wanting to spend another moment with the doctor.

He felt a touch of strange anxiety whenever he returned to HOME. No matter how serious his injuries is every time he came back from his missions, all he does the first thing he entered the doors of HOME is head straight to his room and check the hourglass placed on his table.

Slamming open his door, Kanda walked briskly into his room.

There, on top of his table, untouched by any human hands judging from the amount of dust collected since the last time he's here, stood the hourglass with the lotus suspended on the top half of the contraption. The lotus looked just as beautiful as it had been the last time he had laid eyes upon it.

Kanda sighed in relief. _This lotus blossom has my wish, and shows my hope. _He thought to himself._ I must hurry and find that person, while this flower is still blooming..._

Someone knocked reservedly on the door. Pulling his eyes and thoughts away from the blooming lotus, Kanda opened the door and glared at the intruder.

It was the girl he had just brought back from his recent mission.

Still clad in her bloodied and tattered clothes, the girl smiled politely and said to him in a light tone, "I came here at the request of the Matron, and I am required to take you to the infirmary regarding the gravity of your injuries you've sustained during your mission."

His lips pressed together curtly to form a thin stern line. "This is nothing," Kanda said in his usual cold tone. "It already closed up."

Frowning slightly at his reply, the girl said persistently, "I'm afraid that is not a good excuse, Yuu-sama. Let me escort you back to the infirmary and have them properly cleanse and dress."

He knew she won't budge from that place for a long period of time if he didn't do as she says. He had stayed stuck with this girl for 3 whole weeks, and he knew she'd stood there for a whole day if it will make him go to the infirmary. He wanted to rest badly. He could feel his blood boiling in anger the more he stayed away from his much needed rest.

Sighing loudly, Kanda gave her another glare and stepped out into the corridor. _It'll be the same anyway whether it's in the infirmary or in my room, _he thought to himself.

The moment he entered the treatment room, he is once again swarmed upon by the people in the medical treatment department, who had obviously been waiting for him.

Kanda never liked it when people surrounded him. He finds them suffocating and annoying. He blew all of them, doctors and all, out of the infirmary with the coldest glare he could muster, and they scattered compliantly.

All there's left is the girl.

No matter how cold his glare or how rude he behaved to her, her determination to get him to do something never wavers. She would sit right in front of him and stared him down until he agrees to hear out her ideas. Compared to Komui, he'd rather take the crazy Chief Komui than this girl, whose plain green eyes seemed to see through everything.

And there's the matron to count.

As rude as he is, he never lay a hand on females, nor did he argue with females that much. He didn't like the feeling when he argues with a female. There's a possibility that they'd cry, then they'd scream, then they'd start to throw things around and endangers his hourglass containing his wish and hope, the lotus. To him, females have the potency to endanger his property.

The door burst open and in came the matron. _Speak of the devil… _

"Kanda Yuu!" the matron screeched, and Kanda froze in anticipation. Not that he feared the matron, but like all females, if her orders are not carried out, nobody in the Black Order will be safe from her wrath. "Why did you chase all the doctors and nurses away when all they did is to treat your injuries?!"

"They're annoying, that's why," Kanda replied cheekily.

When the matron got closer to him with one of her hand stretched out, by instincts, Kanda quickly stands up and keep a distance between him and the matron. Whenever the matron has her hand stretched out, it always means to go after somebody else's ear. He didn't want to end up as the person with the red pulled-out ear again.

That is, until he accidentally hit himself on the ribs by the edge of a metal trolley.

Pain shot up from his ribs like lightning and he hissed loudly in pain. A loud protesting sound of metal screeching on the floor made by his whole weight pressing down on it made the girl standing near him cringed.

Grunting in pain, Kanda hunched slightly and clutched the side of his ribs, crimson blood blooming rapidly through his white dress shirt, which now bleeds profusely, life water the color of red dripping onto the clean floor of the infirmary.

Immediately, the matron's nursing instinct kicked in.

Grabbing a clean towel, which happens to be the last one on the trolley, the matron slapped the towel right on top of Kanda's gaping and bleeding wound and pressed on it hard, all the while ignoring his protest and grunts of pain. Dragging him back on the bed, she managed to make Kanda sit on the bed before she called out to the girl Kanda had brought back on a mission.

"I'm sorry, my dear, but can you take my place for a while? I need to get new bandages and towels for this boy here-"

"I'm not a 'boy'!" snapped Kanda angrily, grunting when the matron pressed a little hard.

Smiling gently, the matron left a few instructions to the girl, "Please press on his bleeding wound hard, but not too hard. Just hard enough to stop the blood flow. If possible, make him lie down. He's proven to be quite the stubborn one when it comes to bandaging his wounds." The matron finished her words and glared rather coldly at Kanda.

Taking over the matron's place, the girl smiled confidently and replied, "Of course. I'll be sure to keep Yuu-sama alive while you are away."

The matron gave the girl a strange look. _Yuu-sama?_ Nobody dared to call Kanda his first name, excluding the well known Bookman Junior, Lavi and the travelling and rather aged artist, General Tiedoll. But _Yuu-sama_? 'Kanda-kun' sounds fine enough. She didn't even flinch when Kanda glared at her at the mention of his first name. _How brave_, thought the Matron.

With a swish of her apron and an authorized nod, the matron left the two of them in the infirmary and searched for new bandages and towels.

Kanda felt a slight push, and the next thing he knew, he's laying on the bed with the girl on top of him, both of her hands still keeping a firm pressure on his still bleeding wound.

"What the hell- Get off me, woman!" said Kanda, frowning in disapproval at their compromising position and gritting his teeth in an effort to not bring up those damned blush. _Stupid hormones_, he thought.

"I'm afraid I cannot," replied the girl, her green eyes staring right through him. "I am tired, and I know you are tired as well. I do not wish for your blood to come pouring out like some loose pipes if I happen to get off of you at your request. I know it is uncomfortable, but please bear it with me for a while."

He realizes that she is using her body weight to press on his wound. Not a smart move, but nonetheless logical, though he had to bear with the awkward position.

Her long dark brown hair fell around him like a dark curtain, shielding his eyes from the bright stinging light on the ceiling. The pungent smell of roses in her hair made him remember the trip back to the Black Order; a flower girl had carried a large basket of roses, and seemingly nearly cried at the amount of unsold roses. The girl had offered to trade one of the two silver rings that she wore on her delicate fingers, but Toma had insisted that Exorcists and Accommodators' are well supplied with a thick wad of money, and paid the flower girl with the money from the Black Order instead. Their compartment had nearly burst with the sweet smell of roses for hours ends that Kanda himself had to practically 'swim' through the flowers to get out of that compartment and get another one that is odorless, pungent-less and absolutely no flower smell.

And one that has no 'sticky' girl.

Maybe that's what she get for staying in a train compartment stuffed with roses for 6 hours, thought Kanda. Smelling not of body odor but of roses, which is quite the substitute.

That is when he noticed the true color of her eyes.

They're not just plain green like he had thought he'd seen earlier; rather, they're the color of emerald green, with flecks of gold and silver that seemed to swirl within her irises; wise, hypnotically beautiful and innocent, all three deadly combinations at the same time. Along with the long dark lashes and almost translucent skin of hers, the light hue of blush on her skin and the elegant arch of her high cheek bones made her look absolutely beautiful.

_Just like a wood nymph, _Kanda thought to himself. That explains the countless men trailing behind her like lost puppies at the sight of her when they arrived at the train station. How he didn't notice it earlier was beyond him…

Knowing that he would feel uneasy, the girl kept her eyes at anything else but him. The small considerate notion relieved him a little.

Feeling that Shouka is slowly healing him and that his blood flow is stopping, Kanda gripped the girl's wrist and removed her hand from the towel pressing on his rib gently so as to not startle her.

"My bleeding stopped," he told the girl plainly straightforwardly. "I don't need that towel anymore."

Knowing that Kanda is speaking the truth, the girl stood up and helped Kanda to sit up properly, ignoring his crude remarks to leave him alone.

Inhaling a deep breath, the girl threw her hands into the air and stretched herself as far as she could as she feel her muscles stretched and pulled, breathing out loudly in relief when she feels the tight knots loosen. Leaning back, she rested her back on the uninjured part of Kanda's back and sighed loudly.

"Thank you for bringing me to HOME, Yuu-sama-" started the girl, patting the Exorcist's cheek fondly from behind and waving her other hand in the air absentmindedly, smiling to herself and closing her eyes.

Swatting her hand away as if she's an annoying fly, Kanda said in an annoying tone, "Don't call my first name, woman! You're the one who insisted on following me instead of following Toma."

Lips pursed into a thin line, the girl replied cheekily, "I'm not yet a woman, Yuu-sama. I would advise you to call me Laia instead of addressing me by simply calling my gender. It would make some people confused should there be more than two females standing close to you in the future. And beside the point, following you HOME would be faster than following Toma-san. He had scouting business to do after your last mission."

On their way to board the boat which would lead them straight back to the HOME's Headquarters, they had been attacked by akumas hiding near the bushes, which had been quickly exterminated by Kanda's Mugen. Both Laia and Kanda were injured in the surprise attack, but the latter suffered a more serious wound to his thoracic cavity.

"I don't care, get away from me," said Kanda, attempting to move away from the annoying strange girl, somehow feeling that if he stays with her any further in his current state he would only get more wounds. He uttered a small groan when his broken rib acts up and starts the pounding pain all over again.

"Yuu-sama?" called the girl, a concerned look plastered all over her face when she heard Kanda groan. "Are you alright? You shouldn't be moving around too much when you have a broken rib. Where's the matron- Ah, right on cue!"

The door to the infirmary slammed open loudly. The Matron walked briskly, angrily carrying bundles of clean clothes, towels and bandages.

"I heard from the doctors. Three ribs, Kanda Yuu! _Three_! And you're all bloody!" begun the Matron, waving the medical record chart the nurses had managed to get from him and angry at the fact that the young Japanese Exorcist wounded himself and still _dared_ to make that straight-faced expression.

"Like I said, it's nothing-"

"NOTHING?!" the Matron shouted loudly, baffled at the reply she gotten from the young Exorcist. Her voice pitch soared higher and higher, determined to let Kanda get an earful of her. "Three broken ribs is NOTHING?! You are a human, not like those machines of an Akuma you battled out there every time you went on a mission! They die, they go to heaven. You die; you stayed dead cold in your grave as a corpse! You are a human, Kanda Yuu, and you best stay that way and keep that in mind or I won't ever give you another sedative and painkillers the next time you complained of headaches!"

Kanda's eyes widened, terribly mortified. He could just imagine himself not getting painkillers at all whenever he got a head-splitting headache.

Apparently, threatening a grumpy Exorcist that relies too much on his super-fast healing abilities with a low supply to practically zero supply of sedatives, morphine and painkillers works so much more better than just plainly give them an earful.

"You Exorcist are all workaholics!" The Matron blabbed on, gloating at how she could put the ever so stubborn beautiful boy from throwing another one of his dreadful and infamous tantrums. "From now on, every single time when you return HOME you are coming straight to the infirmary! Injuries or not, I know there'll be a bruise somewhere under all those clothes you wore. Am I to be understood, Kanda Yuu?!"

Making a face, Kanda muttered his infamous reply, "Che!"

"Don't you dare 'Che!' me here, young man! And don't start another excuse just to get out of this infirmary! Like it or not, you're going to stay here for the night with that rib of yours!"

Pitying Kanda for getting yet another earful from the matron, Laia stepped in and patted Kanda on the shoulders, ignoring him when he glared and clicked his tongue in annoyance when she did that, "Yuu told me earlier that his ribs are fine now, so maybe if you would just wrap him up-"

"I'm sorry, dear," said the Matron in a surprisingly soft tone compared to the tone she used on Kanda. "But that BOY's broken rib bones have nearly punctured his lungs, and that could result in a severe case of pleura effusions and thoracentesis, and that is dangerous!"

"Watch who you're calling 'boy', matron!" snapped Kanda angrily, who earned a few pats on his shoulder from Laia's hand. He daren't slap her hands away for the fear of getting another earful from the matron. Bring impolite to a female is a strict taboo to the matron, much less slapping their hands away.

Continuing as if she hadn't heard Kanda snapped at her, the matron said, "If not for you dragging him back instead of letting him walk and move that stubborn head of his, he would have long died with a hole in his lung! He needs to stay in the infirmary for the night."

"You know I won't do it, woman!" Kanda barked angrily, veins snapping on his forehead.

"And you too, my dear," added the matron again in a softer tone, ignoring the fuming Kanda. "You need to stay in the infirmary too with that wound of yours," the matron nudged her head towards the direction of the wound on Laia's left shoulder. "That wound looks awful! You might get an infection from the looks of it. And Kanda," said the matron to Kanda, who tried to stand up quietly. "-stay where you are or I'll ask Komui to confiscate your Mugen again."

That immediately set Kanda back down. The last time his Innocence weapon is confiscated, he was left with nothing but brittle and frail swords around the training ground for a whole month. He HATED the feeling of being apart with his Mugen, and he hated it even more when he had to stay in HOME for a whole month without missions.

"Now, take off your clothes slowly," instructed the matron, this time she used a gentler tone.

Kanda reluctantly took off his robes and prepared for the worse of the screeches from the matron herself.

The matron took one look at his wound and screeched loudly, "_This is awful_!"

A vivid scar had risen on his chest where he had been sliced with the hatchet of the Akuma. Thanks to Laia and his absurdly fast regenerative abilities, his wound has already started to close.

Kanda quietly studied the Sanskrit character engraved onto the left side of his chest. _I guess my body is still responding to it, _thought Kanda._ But, I don't know for how long I will have it. I must hurry up and find that person..._

The matron wrapped a bandage around his chest and patched up his broken ribs quietly, knowing if she said anything further Kanda would only bark back a comment, and when he does, and wrapping up his wounds won't be easy anymore.

Then the matron turned towards Laia and started to patch her up.

During their ride in the train, Laia claimed that she was previously 'sealed' in a stone statuette hidden on the wall of a cave containing an Innocence that Kanda is ordered to take back by Komui. The Innocence serves as a dead bolt that restrains her to the wall, which also serves to seal her consciousness and that she had remained asleep for a very long time. Kanda had unintentionally 'awakened' her when he took the Innocence, awakening her and setting her free. The Innocence that he had taken reacted towards her by glowing brightly, and he had brought her back to HOME after many hours of hesitation. Accommodators are rare to the point that each Exorcist's lives are considered as valuable and that they must be protected and kept alive no matter what happens, and he had brought her back when that thought ran through his mind.

Not to mention she was totally naked when he found her. The thought of it brought a blush to his pale face. He could clearly see his reflection reflecting each and every one of his ridiculous moments of embarrassment in the mirror hanging right in front of him a few feet away. Thank goodness that her hair that time is as long as only-God-knows-how-long as it serves its worth by covering her more womanly parts. He even has to cut most of it off in order for her to be able to walk properly. He had sacrificed his coat to cover her modesty in place of her hair.

And right on that moment, Komui strode in with all his glory as the Chief of the Black Order's Headquarters, the White Rose Cross glistening brightly on the front of his white uniform. A few other doctors and nurses saw the Chief entering the infirmary and grew braver to enter despite the presence of the infamous oh-so-beautiful and yet dangerous exorcist, Kanda Yuu.

"Welcome back, Kanda-kun," said Komui warmly, smiling gratefully for his safe return regardless of the wounds he brought back with him.

"Che," was Kanda's only reply.

The Matron had, by that time, finished wrapping both Laia and Kanda up, and gave the Chief a node of respect before smiling at Laia, who took it as a request to follow the Matron so that she could give her instructions on how to care for her wounds.

Only Kanda and Komui were left alone in the farthest corner of the ward, making the Japanese Exorcist cursed under his breath.

"I see that you used Shouka again, Kanda-kun," said the Chinese Chief, noticing a particular bruise disappearing right under his gaze. The Exorcist merely looked away and huffed out, feeling uncomfortable under the Chief's piercing gaze.

"Kanda-kun, do you have something you want to tell me?" asked Komui, looking very serious and sober, peering at Kanda from his glasses.

One of Kanda's veins on his forehead popped. Irritated, Kanda retorted, "Why the fuck are you asking this every time you see me?" _Seriously,_ thought Kanda, _they should just leave me as it is from the start instead of asking all this shit. _

"Kanda-kun, you can't keep using Shouka to heal!" The Chief said in a losing battle, having numerous times advising the long-haired Exorcist, hoping that he would consider his life to be more important and strive to keep himself alive than simply using Shouka to heal and shorten his life, but to no avail. "Leave the grave and fatal injuries to the power, but after it is no longer a danger to your life, cease using Shouka at once and leave it to heal without using Shouka-"

"It's my life I'm using," he replied angrily, sick of all the constant worries that those who knew about his origins showered upon him. "And it's my choice how I like to use it, not yours."

He hated the pity in people's eyes whenever they saw him using that particular phrase about his life. He had only one motive, and that is to find that person. His life is already dwindling. It's not like the lotus won't wilt if he just lie on the bed doing nothing. He should be out there killing as many Akuma as he possibly can so that this stupid war can end earlier.

Komui kept silent. He knew no one could advice him now that he knew his life is numbered, and it's useless trying to do so. Sighing, Komui said dejectedly, "Very well," he started, "If you insist. But please, if you could, refrain from using it."

Glaring at Komui, Kanda put up his usual poker of a face and said casually, "Che."

Komui sighed dismally. Laia came up to them after the Matron wrapped her up in bandages. Smiling to both of the men, Laia introduced herself to the Chief.

"My name is Laia Elfreya," she started politely. "And judging from the White Rose Cross you wore and the white uniform, you must be the Chief for the Black Order's Headquarters," she finished, one finger pointing towards the White Rose Cross adorned the front of his white jacket.

When Komui nodded in reply, Laia continued, "I came here to join forces with those who are brave enough to rise up and turn against the Earl of Millennium, and I'm willing to assist these people in any way possible."

Komui smiled politely in return, finding what she had said terribly bizarre. He had never heard someone speaking in such ways a long time ago. She reminded him of Hevlaska. "I've seen you entered the underground waterway with Kanda from our surveillance camera. From our records, Kanda never brought back another person except Finders."

"She's an accommodator," Kanda intercepted, surprising Komui. "The Innocence I've collected reacted with her."

"He is correct," Laia told Komui, keeping her eyes on Kanda. "This is my Innocence," lifting both of her hands up, showing Komui the thick gold and silver bangles dangling so innocently on her wrist. There was a silver moonstone adorned on each of the bangle, which swirled constantly with a mercury-like substance in a leisurely way.

"I would like to inspect it sometime after this, if that is okay with you?" Komui asked politely. Laia only nodded in reply. Komui continues to stare at her almost unintentionally, finding the true truth about Laia Elfreya quite shocking, and yet at the same time delightfully lovely.

There was a static sound broke out from his golem, and the sound of Reever came through it, breaking his chains of thoughts.

"Chief Komui," said Reever, "We need you here. The surveillance camera detected a presence of a human climbing the castle's mountain."

"I'll be there in a moment," Komui replied to him, and there was silence.

"I'm afraid I'll have to leave the both of you here for some business I need to attend to. Have a proper rest here then," said Komui before he turned around and leave the infirmary, his long white coat swishing behind him.

"Chief Komui seems like a nice man," said Laia to Kanda, staring at the back of Komui Lee as he walked away from them, noticing that it looked rather professional on him, and yet at the same time she can't help but to thought that he must have suffered a great burden from the looks of the way he held himself up. _Such man never lives a long life,_ she thought sadly.

"He'll dissect you the moment you turned your back on him," Kanda said grimly, expecting her to recoil in fear.

She merely stared at him blankly; seemingly appear to be fine with the idea.

Just as Kanda let out a breath, the gate keeper's voice echoed throughout the organization.

"This guy is outta here!"

Noises and fear broke out just then among the people in the medical treatment section, looking around in panic for the rare occasion of a rejected visitor.

"An Akuma came here!?" said one nurse anxiously.

"Ehhh!?"a few other nurses squeaked in surprise and fear.

As if to further aggravate their anxiety, the gate keeper's shrill screams continued, "This guy's a bug! The pentacle on his forehead shows that he's cursed! He's out, out! The pentacle is the mark of an akuma! This guy is actually a friend of the Earl of Millennium!"

As far as the infirmary and the science lab distance stretched, Kanda could still hear the echoes of all the scientists there, screaming in a monotonous familiar tune, ringing within the castle, "WHAAAAAATT!?"

_An Akuma?_ Kanda Yuu thought to himself, his hand reflexively reached out for Mugen.

A young male doctor saw Kanda standing up and marched away from his bed. The doctor hastily tried to hold Kanda back as he stood up and put on his coat. "Hey, you must rest!"

Without responding and easily shrugging off the young doctor, Kanda grabbed Mugen and headed for the window; a full moon shone brightly through the lattice against the night sky.

Opening the window wide, Kanda stepped onto the window frame.

He felt a cold wind blow against him, his hair and robes swaying in the breeze, the infinite clear sky before him.

_Will my wish be granted one day? _Such a thought arose from his chest._ ...Absurd. What I must concentrate on now is beating the crap out of an Akuma that came to headquarters without any concern._

Far below him, he could see a white-haired boy standing before the gate. _Only one; he's got some nerve._

Before he could jump, he heard Laia called out to him using his first name, effectively halting him in his tracks.

"Be careful…" Laia said before Kanda could open his mouth to retaliate on the use of his first name. That earned her a slight surprise from Kanda. Everyone is stopping him from leaving, and yet this girl is asking him to be careful. How strange for her to do that.

Both of them stared at each other's eyes, as if the time had halted right at that moment to give them more time, getting to know each other via empathy. It was rare for Kanda himself to set his sight on someone for so long without any ill thoughts about how annoying that person he's staring at is. Rather, he finds himself captivated with the very color of Laia's eyes. It was the color of emerald green, and the golden and silvery flecks within her eyes seemed to swirl in front of his very eyes, rooting him into the spot as he stared on, enchanting him with her eyes. Blinking rapidly, Kanda shoved the thought of her swirling eyes into the back of his mind. Giving a slight nod as an appreciation for her concern, Kanda jumped out of the window, as if moving to tear the darkness into pieces, his mugen faithfully in its scabbard.

That is when Kanda Yuu woke up with a start.

He could feel his heart pounding loudly against his ribcage; the adrenaline he felt in his dream seemed to happen right in reality when he is sleeping. Brushing his long sticky bangs away from his forehead, Kanda rested his hand across his forehead, huffing slightly. His thoughts wandered back to his dream. It's been a long time since he dreamed of the past.

The last time he did was the day before the redheaded general, Cross Marian, left the Black Order's crumbling headquarters. That seemed like years ago when in truth it happens just months ago. He noted that the day Marian left is also the day everything seemed to take a turn for the worse. What he believed crumbled as easily as a sandcastle, while trust broke as easy as it had been made. Perhaps Marian really is the one rumored to been protecting all the other younger exorcists in the Black Order, especially his apprentice Allen Walker and the apprentice of General Tiedoll, Laia Elfreya, who had each been assigned watch guards; Howard Link to watch over Allen Walker while Madarao is to watch over Laia Elfreya.

Kanda gritted his teeth tightly when he remembered something more offending than anything else he had heard; that both of them, Allen and Laia, are related to the Noahs in some ways.

_Noahs…_he thought to himself bitterly. _They're fucked up beings. Fuck the Gods for helping them in the first place. They should just die somewhere and stop fucking with us._


	2. Bloody Damn It: A Prelude

**Chapter 2**

**Bloody Damn It: A Prelude**

**Place - Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Level 6 - 1****st**** Floor Entrance  
Time: Early Evening**

It was after Lenalee had given Kanda a hit on the head with her infamous writing board did Kanda actually stopped advancing upon the small built white-haired kid. Alongside her is Laia, a new apostle Kanda had brought back from his latest mission.

"Geez!" Lenalee said disbelievingly, holding her infamous metal clip-board to her chest. "I told you to stop! If you don't come in soon I'm going to close the gates!"

When Kanda glared at her incredulously, Lenalee gave him a stony look and pointed towards the gates. "Enter now."

"I am Lenalee Lee, and I am an assistant to the Supervisor," said Lenalee confidently, welcoming Allen with a generous smile and a warm handshake. "I'll be the one taking you to the Supervisor. Nice to meet you."

"Hello," said the white-haired kid politely with a slight bow. "Nice to meet you too!" Turning towards Kanda, Allen called out to the Japanese Exorcist. "Kanda, that's your name right? Nice to meet you."

Holding out a hand, Allen awaits Kanda to turn back around to shake hands with him, as do with manners and customs.

Kanda, however, merely glared at Allen and said in a grating tone, "Who the hell would want to shake hands with a cursed person?"

When Allen froze on his spot and muttered, "Discrimination…" to him, Laia bounced right in front of him and holds Allen's hand with both of her hands.

"And I'm Laia Elfreya!" she chirped happily, a playful smile plastered on her face. Laia extends her hand to him and her smile widens, "Pleased to meet your acquaintance. I just came here today too, so I'm sure we'll be fine with helping each other getting along and settle down here."

"Thanks," Allen replied gratefully, his eyes bright with delight and accepting her offered hand bigheartedly. "The pleasure's all mine!"

"Oh, and Kanda-kun?" Lenalee called quickly, halting Kanda in his tracks before the Japanese exorcist disappeared behind a flight of stairs leading towards the exorcist's dormitories. "Nii-san wants to see you and Laia-san before you retire to your room."

Kanda frowned in his thought when he heard what Lenalee had said. Komui never cease to give him troublesome things to handle. His guts told him that things are going to get a lot more taxing for his liking. Nonetheless, he gave Lenalee a nod of reply and turned towards the new girl. He annoyingly jerked his head at her, hinting for her to follow him instead of greeting the new cursed kid.

Laia smiled and gave Kanda a nod, signaling that she understood what he had meant. Giving Allen a handshake, Laia welcomed him to the Headquarters of Black Order once again before hastily followed the gradually retreating figure of Yuu Kanda.

"May I see your Innocence?" Komui said kindly with a luring smile on his crazy face. As per his instinct when dealing around with Komui, Kanda braced up and gets ready for battle.

Ever the smiling person, Laia smiles widely and held out her hand, placing them on top of the examining table. "Certainly, Komui-san."

"I see," Komui said after examining Laia's Innocence, currently deactivated and taking the form of two thick gold and silver bangles, each element on each wrist. "Your Innocence is Equipment type, and their source of power lies in the moonstone on each bangle. Can you activate it for me, Laia-san?"

Without a reply, Laia concentrates and said quietly, "Innocence, activate."

The bangles gave out an eerie shade of incandescent light blue, pearly sheen. Both Komui and Kanda watches on with interest, seeing as they have never seen such a color glow on any other Anti-Akuma Weapon before when invoked. In less than a second, exquisitely carved silver revolver slides out of the moonstone and fell into her open palm. The glow disappears completely and all is quiet.

"That was fast…" Komui mumbled to himself, taking note of all the details he had seen with her Innocence.

No Innocence glows in such a molten color, and certainly, no Innocence takes on a fancy assessor shape like gold and silver bangles. He remembers Kanda's report saying that the Innocence he retrieves reacted to her, and it settles on her and forms these gold and silver bangles. She is sealed in a stone statuette, and when Kanda broke the seal while retrieving the Innocence, she is awakened from a deep slumber and becomes a new apostle when the Innocence in his hand reacted with her and settles on her.

It was then Komui thought back about the recommendation letter Cross Marian had written for Allen Walker. Inside it, the General had attached a private note for him, and he is surprised with the content of said note.

_The 14__th__'s adoptive sister from 7000 years ago is expected to arrive soon. Let no others know about this._

_C. Marian_

He had thought that it's a private joke from Marian, but when Kanda brought back an apostle he began to have his suspicions about the girl. Is she what Marian said she is? If she is, which side does she fights for?

But when Laia turned her head up and smiles at Komui, all negative thoughts about her disappears. He had never seen eyes so clear before, and that sincere smile; so innocent and naïve and yet she is so determined that her life and future is to be dedicated to serving Black Order and saving humankind from the Earl's devious plan.

"Alright then!" Komui piped up, grinning widely at her and Kanda. "We'll go and see Hevlaska. She can tell us more about your Innocences! You shall come with me too, Kanda!"

"Che," Kanda scowled darkly, following the pair nonetheless towards the elevator. "Why am I dragged here to do stupid things? I have better things to do."

"Your wound is healing slowly, Kanda," Komui said in a singsong tone, grating on Kanda's nerves. "You can do nothing but rest, so why not follow us around? Gotta learn a few tricks with the boss, eh!?"

It was a long time descending down towards Hevlaska's Domain. When they finally arrived, everyone looked up and Komui greeted the Commander-In-Chiefs and smiles towards Laia.

"Now then, Hevlaska will examine you and your Innocence. She is an Exorcist too, and she's great at what she does best. You'll be fine, I promise."

Laia smiles kindly at Komui, and once again he is struck by the thoughts of her being the 14th's adoptive sister almost 7000 years ago. It appears that she does not participate in the war of the Three Days of Darkness, for nothing is told about her existence and her Innocence in the Cubes. Minus the strange language and accent that she sometimes slips into, Komui is unable to make himself believe that she came in a time long time back when the world is still one and pure. It would be wonderful if she would tell him what it was like 7000 years ago…

White glowing tentacles came up to the side rails and Laia is lifted off the ground. She appears to be calm with everything, and allows Hevlaska to poke at her Innocence bangles. Lifting Laia towards her, Hevlaska leans in and places her large white forehead on Laia's forehead.

"7%... 14%... 21%... 35%... 49%... 70%... 78%," Hevlaska counted robotically and stops at the last number, releasing Laia from her mind power. "You are alright now, Laia Elfreya. It looks like 78% is your maximum synchronization with your weapon. You do, however, have a rather strange vibe with your Innocence."

"Wonderful!" Komui clapped his hand from the sidelines, his mind power quickly summing up the possibilities of what Hevlaska had said. "How simply wonderful! 78% synchronization rate for an Equipment type?! Simply amazing!"

"I haven't started using my Innocence yet, so it's only 78%," Laia said in a matter-of-factly voice, her eyes staring bright and wide at Hevlaska, who, too, is staring at her from above.

Cocking his head to the sides, the Supervisor said curiously, "What do you mean by that, Laia-san?"

"Her Innocence is made for her," Hevlaska answered for Laia, not breaking their eye contact. "The Innocence she now wields doesn't get to choose her. It is Fate that she and the Cube are united." Reaching out to Laia with one of her many tentacles, Hevlaska places her tentacles on top of Laia's head and said echoingly, "The lives of the Innocences depend on you, Laia Elfreya," said Hevlaska, focusing entirely on Laia's strangely calm being.

Nodding once, Laia said knowingly, "I know. Nii-sama told me."

At this, Komui perked up, his inquisitiveness resurfaced once again. "You have a brother?"

Laia nodded as a reply.

"What's his name?"

Turning her head towards Komui, Laia answered him truthfully, "I don't know. He never told me. I just called him Nii-sama since he said that it's alright to I call him that. He's not that particularly fond of his name."

"Interesting…" Komui muttered, rubbing his chin and appearing to be in deep thought before he suddenly jumps up and piped cheerily, "Alright! Kanda-kun, why don't you show her to her room? I'm sure the both of you needs ample amount of rest and such before I give the both of you missions briefings tomorrow."

"Che," Kanda scowled. Stepping forward, Kanda crosses his arms in front of his chest and glowers at Komui, "Where's her room?"

"That stupid psychopath…" Kanda cursed Komui while trudging along the 1st floor leading towards the Exorcist's dormitories. Turning around sharply at a corner, Kanda jerked his head towards the open room and scowled darkly at the prospect that her room is beside his. "This is your room."

Smiling brightly, Laia pulled on the front of his uniform and drew her face nearer to his. He didn't know how it happened, but strangely, she didn't make him feel the need to pull back or put up his defensive barrier. All he did feel is that he allows her to pull him down to her short level, and the next thing he felt is her soft butterfly kiss on his cheek. Pulling back shyly, Laia hugged him tightly to her on the neck and whispered by his ear in a grateful tone, "I thank you, Yuu-sama, for bringing me here despite not knowing anything about me. I'll repay you somehow."

All the while, Kanda is silent. When Laia finally releases him from her hold, Kanda watches as she walks into her room and waved brightly at her, the light blush on her face an evident of embarrassment. "Goodnight, Yuu-sama," she said in a small voice, her clear emerald eyes and a smile on her face the last thing he saw of her when the door closes in front of him.

**Place - New Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Floor -Top Floor Individual Rooms  
Time: Dawn**

The loud slamming sound of a door being manhandled woke Kanda up from his second dream.

It's barely 6a.m in the morning at the Black Order's new headquarters. The cold in the morning seemed to pierce through his thin clothes. Being a morning person, he sits up and his eyes automatically went to the lotus in the hourglass. He briefly thought about how pathetic it seems to have his life measured with the life of a lotus in an hourglass. He hated the sight of it, yet he needed it to survive.

The lotus now had been restored to complete full bloom, its petals a healthy vibrant pink. He frowned as he thought about how Laia had used one of her Innocences's powers to heal his soul, bringing the fallen petals back to the lotus flower, extending his life. He remembered how he had balked at her abilities and called her a monster then, and he remembered just how briefly the feeling of regret settled on him when he saw the great hurt and tears in her eyes.

She never spoke to him since then.

It didn't bother him much. He couldn't look into her eyes anyway.

It didn't bother him much. Just a little bit.

Only a little bit.

A little bit…

He told himself it was an accident that that monstrous word spilled out of his mouth. How could he call another person a monster when he himself is one? He slaughtered his best friend to put him out of his misery and live in resentment because of that, he had a higher tolerance with Akuma's poisonous gas than most people does because of his altered genes and the magical properties in his blood as the sole living experiment from the Second Exorcist Project. For all he knows, he _is _the monster, and monsters are not supposed to exist. He is an experiment… not a human…

He swung his foot off his bed and trudged towards the adjoining bathroom. There was the sound of tap water rushing, but it didn't stop him. He happens to share the bathroom with his next-door neighbor, and he knew instantly that it's her and that bastard Third Exorcist, Madarao.

Rooms in the new Black Order headquarters are built with the idea that one luxurious bathroom will serve as the wall between two different rooms, and that there is a small corridor in between those two rooms that will serve as the bridge to the bathroom. He didn't like it, and she didn't seem to give a response to it when Komui told them about the new room's arrangements. So, he'll have to settle with keeping his mouth shut and just go on with the arrangements.

Nonetheless, the bathroom's door was slightly ajar. He took that as a sign that he could enter and slammed open the door in an unattractive manner. If she could slam doors open in the dead of the night, then why shouldn't he do the same?

The first thing his eyes picked up in the bathroom was Laia. It was her, always her. She always stole his attention away, no matter how annoying she was the first time he saw her or no matter how achingly beautiful she was on her birthday, wearing a burgundy dress with lots and lots of frills, courtesy from Johnny. If she were to hide herself in a large crowd, the first person Komui would assign to look for her would be him; him and his robotic eyes that would just seem to zoom into her regardless of her whereabouts in a crowd. His eyes had somehow got used to the fact that Laia would always be the first person he saw every single day ever since that fateful day.

He saw Laia had her white poet's shirt completely opened, revealing her black bra and pale skin. She continued to brush her now shoulder length dark brown hair. It once reaches up to the small of her back; its lustrous shine would have shamed his hair back in the old days, glowing even more ethereally beautiful in a blazing flame color when shone under sunlight. Her hair was mercilessly hacked away from her by Lulubell in the midst of a fight. It was an unsettling display, the sight of her hair falling around Hevlaska's Domain like fine spider webs. The one thing that he knew she held most precious and proud of is her hair, and she had lost it. That is the main reason to her sudden rise of power and why she is so determined to destroy Lulubell.

She appears to not be bothered by his presence at the door, not even batting her eyelashes at the sight of him walking by her, as if he were not there to begin with and as if he did not slam the door and created a gunshot-like sound to vibrate around the bathroom. Slowly, taking her own sweet time, she buttoned up her shirt and stared into her reflection in the mirror, as if loathing the girl in the mirror looking back at her with such hate. It was one thing that Kanda noticed about her new self. She seemed to transform in a short span of time into an entirely new girl, one who no longer smiles and be happy even at the worst timing of her life. He would die before admitting that a part of him missed that part of her.

Then there was her complexion; she looked so pale and weak that her lips had turned into the color of pale white, almost like someone being drained off blood. He noted that she constantly frowned deeply, and he knew that look; she frowns because she is trying to stay on her ground, the telltale sign clear on her glazing eyes, appearing so dead to him. He could see her wobbling just by standing, and she even had one arm up to propel her on the bathroom counter. She doesn't look good in general.

And her eyes, Kanda noted. Once upon a time, her eyes glinted and burned with life. Now, it was glassy most of the time, sometimes blankly empty, indicating her lack of consciousness and gradual slipping of focus in reality.

Even so, Kanda strode into the bathroom. His mood darkens to a degree of violence when he finally noticed the Third Exorcist is standing right beside the inner bathroom counter, awaiting Laia to finish washing up no doubt. Kanda loathed the Third Exorcist. He especially hated it when Leverier ordered that the two suspected person, namely Allen Walker and Laia Elfreya, is to be watched over 24/7 and that they are not to be put out of sight by their watchers. Even if Laia is a girl, Leverier had still assigned Madarao to watch over her, naked or not. He felt his blood boiled further at the thought of Laia being in the same bathroom with Madarao.

He shakes his head slightly to stop himself from thinking anything else further. What's done is done. It's not like he could do anything to help her. No one can save her. Both Allen and Laia are damned beings in the Black Order.

They are bound to die soon with their reputation.

Turning on the tap water, he splashed water onto his face and ignored it even if he had accidentally splashed water on her, who was standing right beside him, close enough to brush his elbow if she so moves a little to the left. Fishing out his new hair tie, he tied up his hair in a high ponytail and stepped into the transparent shower room, stripping down to nothing openly and turned on the shower, hyper aware that Madarao is observing both him and her from the stupid corner he stood in.

Even after he had finished and came out with a towel wrapped his lower torso, Laia is still standing right in front of the mirror, taking up most of the spaces on the bathroom counter. After the invasion of the Level 4 Akuma, Laia had suddenly taken an interest in make ups and lipsticks and lined them up in the bathroom. It was a long time before he realizes that she used them to cover up her pale skin. She didn't want questions about her pale visage arises.

She turned and headed for the door before she stopped suddenly, one hand going to her head. Going back, she headed for the sink he now occupies and without warning, collapsed heavily onto the ground, her head colliding with his calf and leaned against him.

Madarao, her new guard, stood standing by the door side and stared ahead of him stonily without a bother. Throwing the towel he used to dry his hair aside roughly, he reached towards her and pulled her up roughly on her arm, sighing and clicking his tongue in disapproval. Laia winced from the contact and moments later, Kanda felt thick liquid started to seep through her clothes, blood blossoming rapidly onto the crisp white fabric and dripped onto the floor.

His eyes widened in shock upon setting his eyes on her blood-soaked arm. He saw how much damage he had done to her just by trying to keep his pride. He knew she had just returned from a mission, but he didn't know that she didn't patch herself up in the infirmary. He didn't even know that she had the capability to get this injured.

From all the while he had been teamed up with her, she has never ever gotten a scratch. No, not even one tiny scratch. She's new in the Exorcist department and yet her skills in using her Innocence as widely as possible is superb, even more so than Allen Walker's Innocence. He'd rather be known as the cold-hearted Kanda Yuu than be known throughout the Black Order as someone who had helped a damsel in distress. Guilt welled deep in his chest when she wrenched her arm away from his grip, splashing more blood onto the floor.

Buttons rained down onto the cold tiled floor when Laia ripped the now blood soaked white oxford shirt without a care that her body is entirely exposed to Kanda and Madarao, leaving her only in her black bra and her now extremely white and pale body, a clear unhealthy shade of color for skin. Snatching up the towel he had discarded by the side of the sink, she wiped her bloodied arm with it and threw it back to Kanda.

Cold eyes fixated upon the beautiful male Exorcist, Laia said coldly, her voice vibrating in the quiet joined bathroom. "Thanks."

Turning around, she walks out of the bathroom without a care in the world that her arm is bleeding freely from the horrible deep gash that made her arm looked as if they're half severed from her torso despite her earlier attempt at wiping the blood with his towel. His heart gave a hard tug at having forced to watch her walk away from him yet again, her back to him while her dead eyes staring ahead of her without perceiving anything in particular. Biting his lips to prevent himself from letting out a howl of distress, Kanda turned instead towards the tiled walls and slammed his fist into it, cracking one of the tiles with his immense strength.

"Damn it," Kanda said quietly, water dripping down his pale visage, the sound of the droplets meeting the tiles the only sound greeting his ears. "Damn it…"


	3. Happy Moments: An Interval

**Chapter 3**

**Happy Moments: An Interval**

**Place - Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Level 9 - Meeting Room**

**Time: Early Evening**

Standing in the midst of Komui's messy office are three male exorcist, namely Noise Marie, Daisya Barry and the ever so stoic Kanda Yuu. In front of Komui's desk stood a girl with an elaborated chignon tied on her lower neck and long tight black pants that covers everything. Her calf-length boots continuously made a shifting noise as she moved from time to time, nervously awaiting her first order.

"Since you're a new member at a time this crucial, you are assigned with a mission to find General Froi Tiedoll, who is also a teacher to the three exorcists standing behind you," Komui said light, nodding his head towards the people standing behind her. "You will join his team, and be a part of Tiedoll Unit. He will teach you everything about the ways of an Exorcist, as you will be his new student. He loves new apprentices. He's been requesting for a 'daughter' since- well, since a long time ago, so you'll be just fine with him."

Laia smiles sincerely and bowed at Komui, thanking him for assigning her to Kanda's team. She grew fond of Marie and Daisya as well, and appears pleased with the arrangements when she turns around and gave a silent scream of triumph with Daisya. Kanda scowled.

Turning towards the three exorcists standing behind her, Komui started on a more serious tone.

"All of you will be assigned a mission to find General Froi Tiedoll and bring him back to HOME. If said General is not willing to or rejects the idea to return, all of you will guard the General and makes sure no harm befalls on him or on either of you. The war is approaching upon us, and there are dark times ahead the future. The number of Exorcists is dwindling, and I want each of you to guard your allies and your own lives against perils. Am I clear?"

"Yes!" all of them answered at the same time. Daisya grinned at the prospect of finally be able to kick some Akuma's butts and a new 'sister' joining their group. His bell-innocence jingled happily at the prospect.

Daisya and Laia quickly become fast friends, much to the dismay of Kanda. As both of them skipped happily like little naïve children in front of Kanda and Marie on their journey to find General Tiedoll, Marie took the opportunity to corner Kanda.

"Kanda?" Marie started, noting the said Exorcist turned his head slightly towards Marie's direction judging by the sound of his hair sliding against his uniform.

"What is it?" Kanda said coldly. Marie almost smiled. The Exorcist always covers up his emotions well. Sometimes he wondered if the Asian Exorcist smiled at all, or be happy at some point in his life. It was always darkness, and he was afraid for the young Exorcist's future if he keeps immersing himself in darkness.

"You like Laia-san, don't you?" Marie continues, asking the question directly and awaiting for the Asian Exorcist to fall into his trap.

The blind Exorcist smiled to himself in triumph when Kanda's heart rate increased with a strange louder thumping sound. That was the only answer he needed, but he know Kanda would just outrageously deny about it.

"Don't screw with me, Marie," Kanda hissed dangerously. There is the reply from Kanda. Marie's smile widens more when Kanda's temperature seemed to soar right up into the sky, his breaths coming in short pants while he seemed to turn murderous all of a sudden.

Marie knows everything that is to know about Kanda. Well, at least that is what Kanda had told him. The blind Exorcist knows the constant watch and staring from Kanda directing towards the only female in their little group. Whenever there is a gasp coming from her, Kanda would immediately snap his head towards her without hesitation, only to force himself to grit his teeth in jealousy at the sight of Daisya getting closer and closer to her. Marie chuckled to himself at the thought that Kanda's jealousy is ignored by two of the possibly most ignorant Exorcist he had ever seen apart from Lavi Bookman. But Marie knows better.

Daisya Barry had a sister. For all he knows about Daisya, his sister would be around Laia's age. Marie guessed that Daisya had probably missed home at one point, and when Laia joined the Tiedoll Unit, he rejoiced at the prospect that he could finally find someone to treat as a sister. Daisya treated Laia like a big brother would to a little sister, and Kanda, who is extremely ignorant in the emotions department, grew jealous at the sight of the both of them stuck together. They eat together; they sit together in a train, hell, when they booked a room for the night Daisya had insisted that Laia held his hand while they slept! Marie knew just how protective Daisya could be when it comes to his family, and all of the Exorcist members of the Black Order are families to Daisya.

Another explosion of laughter and giggles came from both Daisya and Laia, laughing like there is no tomorrow freely. It appears to be a case that Laia had challenged Daisya to a dare of walking without support on a narrow pavement without the aid of his Innocence, and he had outwardly failed at it no two steps later. She had graciously stepped and skipped on the narrow pavement like a graceful gazelle with Daisya staring at her accomplishment jealously. He decided that Laia would have to fail as well when he made her trip, and she had fallen right over Daisya while he landed in scum and mud. It was their laughter that jolted Marie from his train of thoughts. Marie thought that their laughter is supposed to be a good thing, as there are dark times ahead of them. There is no other time better than to laugh right here and then, living happily for the time being before they are again thrown mercilessly into war and battles with Akumas.

Kanda, however, had another idea regarding their laughter.

Noisily drawing his Mugen, Kanda's murderous intent soared with the intimacy displayed in front of him and he chased Daisya down with his Mugen while the Clarity Bell Innocence user ran for his dear life with Laia laughing behind them. Such was their happy memories regarding their journey towards finding General Tiedoll.

**Place-New Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Cafeteria  
Time: Early Morning**

After finishing donning on his new Exorcist outfit, Kanda strode out of his room and proceeds towards the cafeteria. The usually quiet hall echoes with sounds of metal pots meeting the ground while Finders started to gather around at the far end of the hall. Rolling his eyes at the sight of the pitiful Finders possibly crying over some dead friend, Kanda strode towards the counter and pressed on the desk bell, calling on the High Chef, Jerry.

"Morning, Kanda Yuu-san!" Jerry came over cheerily and blushes at the sight of the beautiful male Exorcist. "What can I do for you? Don't tell me it's Soba and Ocha again."

The chef whined in an unsightly manner when Kanda orders Soba, Tempura and Ocha regardless of Jerry's desperate attempt at trying to feed Kanda Yuu other food options such as Sushi and Pastas. Sighing dramatically, Jerry scooted away from the counter and barked orders for the Ocha while setting out to make Tempura and Soba himself.

While waiting for his meal, Kanda leans on the counter and gazes out to the new cafeteria. Sure, it's large and high ceilinged, but he didn't like it at all because of all the noise and echoes it generated. It affects his concentration, and he noted to himself that he is much more volatile in this new Headquarters.

He liked the old headquarters better. Despite being a hell hole, as he had dubbed it a long time ago, it felt more 'homey' than this new hell hole.

A loud commotion sounded somewhere behind the vast cafeteria once again, his eyes flitted quickly to the source and found that a particular Finder – which he remembers to be moderately tall and extremely beefy – suddenly sprouted and towers over everyone in height. The facial expression of that Finder strikes him as odd, as he looked as if he's choking of some sort. It was a while before the fact finally dawned upon him that someone is actually holding the Finder clear off the ground.

"Strangely," Marie stepped into the Cafeteria and came up to Kanda's side. "I seem to recall that a certain Exorcist had done this often. I've forgotten who that person is, but if my memory jogs me well that Exorcist might have been a 'he' with long black hair…"

A vein popped over Kanda's temple and he gritted his teeth at Marie's teasing. He had been so temperamental back then, and he didn't change much since then, and continues to be a pain in the ass to most Finders other than Toma.

"You're quite right about it, Marie," an annoying voice joined Marie's teasing, and he knew without turning around that annoying person is Allen Walker, the 'old, aged' kid. "BaKanda had done it at a regular basis, and I am not surprise if no Finder is willing to work with him. I mean, he's so mean! Why are you so mean, BaKanda? You're so mean!"

Hurling his best glare towards the now grinning Allen Walker, Kanda prepares to commence a fight with the white haired Exorcist right here and now if not for the infuriating intervention coming from Allen's watchdog, Howard Link.

"What is it with you two cats and dogs!?" Link said frustratingly, stepping right in between the arguing pair of Exorcist. "Can't you two just stop arguing for one day? We're in dark times and preparing for an oncoming war and here you are arguing about something meaningless. How childish can two of you be?"

"Link, we're not childish!" Allen protested angrily. "This is a fight between a man and a man, mind you!"

"You're just a kid, Moyashi," Kanda poked incessantly, relishing in delightfully when Allen's vein popped out of his temple as well. "You're not a real man. You have no right in declaring a fight between a man and a man."

"You're stupid, so you're not a man!" Allen screeched angrily, lunging towards Kanda and preparing to fight him till death. Link rolled his eyes and grabbed the back of Allen's collar, effectively halting the white-haired Exorcist.

"Says who!?" Kanda's turn to lunge in for the kill, and Marie had to wrap an arm around Kanda's torso to stop the Asian Exorcist from shredding Allen into a meat pie. "You stupid little Moyashi! I dare you to repeat that!"

"Now, now," Marie said calmly, one arm still keeping a tight grip on Kanda's torso while another placed on Allen's chest, keeping them apart and trying his best to stop the argument from escalating into something more dangerous. "Allen, why don't you go up ahead and order your food? Kanda, I trust that Jerry had almost finished preparing your food. Go up ahead and check it out."

"You've gone too far this time, Laia Elfreya!" a loud voice exclaimed from the crowd at the far end of the cafeteria. Everyone snapped their heads towards the direction at the sound of Tiedoll Unit's only female Exorcist's name.

The group was quick to abandon their meal and pushed apart the sea of Finders to find out what had happened. Their eyes widens in surprise at the sight of Laia – wearing her long white woolen cardigan on top of a dark blue camisole and sky blue bedroom slippers – steadily holding a large beefy Finder, who might as well be 3 times her own size clear off the ground without even so much as putting an effort. It would be a comical sight to behold were it not of the Finder's face steadily turning a shade of deep red.

As she stared at the Finder through her long lashes with an icy cold loathing gaze, Laia slowly tightens her grip on the Finder's collar, suffocating him slowly and watches as he wriggled in pain while suspended clear off the ground in midair.

"You dare to disturb my meal time, Finder?" Laia said in a low threatening tone, her icy emerald gaze burning deep into the Finder's mind, torturing him from within with her mind powers. The Exorcists watching by the sidelines stood their ground, not knowing what to do when it comes to Laia. Hell, not even Madarao – her Supervisor slash watchdog – stood in and stops her. Instead, the Third-Exorcist watches onwards indifferently.

"Enough!" one other Finder emerged from the crowd and pulled at Laia's extended arm holding the suspended Finder above ground level. "Stop it! You're suffocating him!" the Finder said defensively, using all his might to pull Laia's grip away from the suspended Finder's collar. Even as a man, the second Finder couldn't even loosen her grip, and she is not even 6' feet tall like the others surrounding her!

She appears to be annoyed by the interventions, as her cold emerald eyes flashes towards the annoying intervener angrily. In mere seconds her eyes landed upon the intervener, the Finder flew out of her field and slammed into the wall.

Laia is a natural powerful user of Telekinesis and several mind powers, courtesy to the crazed 1st Apostle, the Earl of the Millennium, who had done experiments on her and make her a monster of sort with various useful powers. . It was a long, long time ago; approximately 7000 thousand years has passed, and not only did her powers not diminish, they escalated to a terrifying degree and it made her the deadliest Exorcist ever to graze upon the World.

But not without a price.

"It seems that you desire an early ticket to hell, Finder…" Laia said coldly in her low threatening tone, drawing the Finder higher in the air with ease. "Tell me then, do you wish to die here at the new Black Order's Headquarters' Cafeteria under my power, or do you prefer to die on the battlefield? I shall gladly be your ferry guide to the otherworld…"

"Laia…" Allen called her from the sides softly. At the sound of the familiar white-haired Exorcist and her name, Laia flicked her eyes towards him and finds herself surrounded by several other familiar Exorcists staring at her. Pulling her lips into a thin line, Laia releases her grip on the Finder and closed all mind connections with the Finder. Her bedroom slippers shuffles against the floor noisily, the sound of it rang loudly in the now quiet cafeteria as she advances towards the now kneeling Finder.

Crouching down, Laia said to the pathetic Finder. "I thank you sincerely for being brave and willingly put your lives on the stake by venturing into the very heart of dangerous Akumas lair to collect valuable information for the Order and for us Exorcists. I am grateful that you are willing to do so for nothing in exchange," her eyes changes direction and she looks around at all the Finders surrounding her, icy cold eyes connecting with all of them, "-but I cannot be the sole reason for you all to hate."

Standing up from her previous crouching stance, Laia said in a deep booming voice. "Despite the 14th being my brother 7000 years ago, my own kind abandoned me first just for being a little different, and now, you are doing the exact same thing what my kind did to me 7000 years ago, secluding me aside when all I did is stand on your side and fight the Earl without ever once complaining the toll it takes on my fragile body and how painful it is when an Akuma pins you on the ground with a spiked mace just so I could save a dying Finder. So tell me now, in your opinion, am I on the Earl's side or on your side, because if you can't even figure that out by yourselves, then I will end your life, right here and right now. I will kill you and put an end to your sufferings of being a pitiful Finder for the Black Order, and all you have to do is ask."

"Laia!"The sound of Lavi's voice echoed towards her. Lifting her head up, she watches as Lavi jogged towards her and panted heavily. Collecting himself, Lavi stood up straight and smiled down brightly at her, flashing his best charming smile at her.

"Bookman," Laia addresses the rabbit-head with a slight nod, her eyes remaining blankly cold, ignoring Lavi's obvious flinch at the cold address and the sound of his surname.

"Komui requested you," Lavi said, placing both of his hands on top of her shoulders and bending down to her level, coming face to face with her, hoping to catch her eyes. She did not return his gaze. Sighing to himself, Lavi continued, "He said he'll see you at Hevlaska's domain, and that afterwards you are to return to the hospital ward by the matron's orders."

Laia did not appear to have acknowledged Lavi's words. However, she turns towards Madarao's direction, who had stood up and moved towards her. Turning back towards Lavi, Laia gave him another nod and strode out of the cafeteria.

Stopping suddenly, Laia turned her head slightly to the side and said in the same low threatening tone, "The next person who crosses me again will not be as lucky as this person today, O Pitiful Finders. I am kind, but all of you made me what I am today. This is all you're doing. Blame no others but only yourself. I shall slaughter the next person who badmouths me, and I will do it the way I slaughter an Akuma."

With a sweep of her white woolen cardigan, Laia strode out with Madarao behind her in all the glory of her bedroom attire.

With his Innocence arm, Allen gripped Madarao's upper arm and glares into his eyes.

"Why didn't you stop that, Madarao?" Allen hissed angrily. "Why didn't you stop her?"

"I am not obliged to do that, Exorcist Allen Walker-sama," Madarao said with a slight bow at Allen. Amongst all the Third-Exorcists aka CROWS members currently resides within the new Black Order's Headquarters in Britian, Madarao and his little sister, Tevak, is the most polite and civilized members. "I am to watch and supervise her 24/7. That is my only order."

"Allen Walker," Link called Allen, and the white-haired exorcist releases Madarao and watches as he walks away and joins Laia at the end of the corridor leading towards Komui's new office. "She is out of your reach now, Walker. Leave her be and you might just live long enough to see the daylight."

Angrily, Lavi grabs a fistful of Link's front clothes and pulls him closer. "Comrades do not leave each other to die alone, Howard Link. You don't understand that because you are not an Exorcist, and you are not compelled to fight in the field. Your only job is to supervise, and that's all, so shut your mouth about us Exorcist and do your job like the dog you are."


	4. Food For A Time

**Chapter 4**

**Food: For A Time**

**Place – Somewhere Within Britain  
Time: Mid day**

"I'm huuunnngrrryyy…" Laia moaned tiredly while holding her noisy stomach, trudging weakly forward on the gravel road. "Isn't there anymore food left in that bag of yours, Yuu-sama?"

Clicking his tongue in disapproval, Kanda continues to walk without looking behind him, where he knew she is trudging along the road close to him just so that she could grab a few things from him. He had suspected something is taken from his bag when he notices his load is getting lighter, but when he finally gets to caught the culprit, it was too late. He could only watches on as Laia quickly gobbles down the last morsel of food in his backpack.

"You've finished mine earlier on, woman," Kanda muttered darkly, his fingers itching to grab his Mugen and trying to convince himself that Laia is actually a man disguising himself as a woman. It'll give him a good reason to attack her and slice her up a bit. "Now we had to find someplace to eat for the night instead of camping outside."

The Black Order's Chief Commander – namely a mad scientist who goes by the name Komui – has instructed his sister Lenalee to book a room for Kanda and Laia in a stupid hotel named Heavenly Rest Hotel. Their meals and room are booked and that for as long as they use the room and dine inside the hotel's cafeteria, the bills will go directly into the accounts of the Order and not one single note will be jotted down inside the Guest List in the hotel. That way, they will be able to rest under an anonymous name, safe from the prying eyes and sight of nosy Akumas.

Due to the rapidly declining amount of Exorcists on duties and unreliable, almost-useless Finders protecting Exorcists, the Order had set out a new rule. All Exorcists are to complete their missions in a group of pair and above. Ordering and bookings of rooms are to be done by Lenalee Lee, and that all Exorcists are to rest and stay inside the same room for safety's sake.

Kanda had sliced up those notices with his Mugen angrily upon seeing them pinned to his door. That means he would have to stay in the same room with Laia Elfreya, since he is tasked to be her partner and her bailer out of trouble since day one she enters Black Order.

"We are of a different gender, in case you failed to notice it with that messed up brain of yours," Kanda grilled Komui, placing his hand on the hilt of his Mugen in case the mad scientist needed some 'encouragement' and a good dose of threats. "It seems to me that her state of virtue and innocence has slipped from your mind. By forcing us into the same room, you are subjecting her into something that would have ruined her reputation everywhere!"

Komui grinned widely to himself while paying a close eye on the hand that rest ever so gently on Mugen. The chief of the Black Order Headquarters in Britain wouldn't have wanted another fight to break out in his office. His table has suffered far enough damage to call it a day. "I'm getting the idea that you are rather concern about her virtue rather than your own, Kanda-kun. From what I know in my extensive knowledge of Exorcists here in the Black Order, Kanda Yuu is a virg-"

"Not. Another. Word. Komui." Kanda threatened darkly after he removed Mugen from its scabbard in less than a second, his Mugen blade resting over Komui's shoulder, just an inch beside his neck.

"Suits me just fine, Kanda-kun," Komui stuttered out a reply, his eyes locked firmly on the rather shiny Mugen blade. "But the room stays though. Unless you wanted to watch her gets slaughtered by Akumas in the dead of the night. Amongst everyone in the Black Order, you knew her sleeping habits tend to extend to an extreme degree of deep sleep, and only you knew how to wake her up in less than 5 seconds."

While Kanda gritted his teeth angrily, the head scientist turns somber and places a hand gently on top of Mugen, trying to lower it down from where it rest on his shoulder. "We cannot afford to lose another Exorcist, Kanda-kun. We cannot win the war between the Earl of Millenium without Exorcists and Innocences. We need all of you to be safe."

Living in the Black Order as the Chief has limited his access to the outside world. He is just as important as the Exorcists. Without him, no mission would move no new inventions of devices and no Innocence weapon to be repaired by. As such, his views are limited to what happens in the Black Order Headquarters. He observes people interact with each other and picked up something much faster than most people would do. In Kanda's case, he picked up that whenever Laia's name surfaces in the conversation, Kanda's eyebrow would twitch a little, and his jaw would tighten ever so little and his eyes would twinkle a little. To imagine, Kanda's eyes, twinkling at the sound of Laia's name. He responds to Laia much faster than most people do. Komui summed everything up with his mind that Laia holds a special spot in his frozen heart. Without another word, Kanda stores his Mugen quietly into its scabbard and stormed out of the office.

"You're just like that Moyashi," Kanda grumbled, paying for the food and opted for fresh fruit from the cafeteria. "Stuffing yourself with food like you intend to finish all the food in the world…"

Laia stopped her munching and grabbed another chicken thigh. Digging into it, she munched her food while replying to Kanda with her mouth full of food. "*munch munch munch* I'm hungry…"

His eyes narrowed at the sight of food "Here-" the Japanese Samurai pushes his portion of food towards her and watches her smile growing wider at the offer. "I've lost my appetite."

"Thank you Yuu-chan!"

In less than a second, Kanda had drawn his Mugen out from its' scabbard and lay them against her neck in close range. "Don't call me by that name, Elfreya," the Japanese Exorcist grumbles dangerously, growing in irritation only when Laia appears to ignore the sword lying so close by her neck and immune against his dark mood.

For a good 3 minutes he watches as Laia devours all the food in his plate. It never cease to amaze him that Laia could gobble up food in the shortest amount of time and all done in the most graceful manner. There were a few fruits left on her dessert plate. When the fruit she encounters is too big or not served in bite sizes, she merely grabbed it with her fingers and threw it against Mugen, conveniently using it as a knife. With Mugen's sharpness, the fruit slices apart easily, which she captures in a plate on the other side of the sword.

She is surprisingly deft with sharp weapons. He couldn't expect more than whining and cries for help from someone who looked so weak and fragile. What he had thought of her had proven to be wrong as she had managed to save her own ass brilliantly again and again without his help, each time finishing her duty with a sad smile while looking up at the sky. He knew she could see what the Moyashi could see, and he had heard how Lavi describe those wrapped up lost souls floating near the Akumas when the Moyashi's cursed eye undergone what seems to be a level 2 change. The poor Bookman Junior couldn't sleep for a good whole week after claiming to have seen hell through the eyes of Moyashi's cursed eye.

As he watch her munches on the apple slices happily, he gritted his teeth in an effort to look angry and annoyed, when in fact he is surprised with everything that has to do with her. He couldn't stay angry for long when it comes to her, unlike a certain rabbit that comes from a hole and another stunted growth Moyashi. She is the first female that manages to make him draw his Mugen and lay them against her neck. She is the first female to make him want to smile. She is also the first female to make him want to do something more for her. It was with these thoughts that made him stay with her until now. She is different than most, and she is definitely someone he could stand beside with for a long, long time.

It was on day one he had thoughts like that.

On day two…

There is a deep, thunderous dark cloud looming above Kanda's head, shadowing most of his face from everyone who had dared to give him a glance. Those who did glance at his face – let's just say that the lightning above Kanda's head did the job.

It happens when Kanda wanted to buy soba and for once, he is happy that a decent breakfast is coming his way. That restaurant had a 'pay upon the serving of food' policy, and just when he is about to pay and dig in, he realizes that his little pouch of money is deathly light.

He had to watch his soba taken away right in front of his eyes and endure another round of growling from his protesting stomach.

"We ran out of money…"Kanda said darkly, the dark clouds above his head gave another strike of lightning.

"Well," Laia said casually, trying to divert topics regarding the quick disappearance of money. "Shit does happen from time to time…"

"No," Kanda cuts in curtly, his lightning-like eyes shined sharply upon Laia. "_Shit_ happens whenever _your_ stomach grumbles for _more_ food."

Laia smiles widely and happily, albeit sweating profusely and swallowing noisily. "Yuu-chan, I'm happy that you're such an understanding person!"

"Understanding, my ass. You're just hungry all the time with those damn parasitic Innocences…" Kanda grumbles darkly to himself. The Japanese Exorcist couldn't seem to bring himself to badmouth her loudly or threw curses at her like how he treated a certain rabbit and moyashi.

Deep down, Laia felt sorry for squandering all the money for herself and her stomach. The insistent grumblings and hunger pangs really did her no justice, as it would spring up in the middle of the night and other untimely occasions.

And so…

"Don't worry," Laia patted the taller Exorcist's back in an effort to calm him down. "I'll get us some money, Yuu-chan. I'll be quick."

Kanda watches as Laia stood up and make way to the grand piano situated in the front row of the restaurant. He half wondered what she would do with that piano, and another half curiously awaiting some sort of music that she is going to play.

The restaurant offers a freelance pianist job to anyone who could play the piano. In return, they would be paid by the customers who had dropped tips into a large crystal bowl, which is then given to the pianists as a fee of playing wonderful music to the customers and liven up the mood in the restaurant.

Fingers gliding across the piano, Laia tested one key after another in a very amateurish way. Everyone in the restaurant threw her curious and degrading glances. Sure, Laia did look like some random layperson who is trying to grab the attention of all those rich diners and make some quick money by borrowing the piano for one song. She tested one key after another on the piano and sing along with it in an off tuned voice as well. The manager shakes his head when he notices all the rich diners have started to grumble at the terrible performance.

"Little Miss," the manager begun quietly in an effort to chase her off the piano stool, but at the same time trying to be nice to this little quaint beauty who had wandered into the restaurant with an extremely handsome Asian-looking man. She lifted her eyebrows at the sight of the manager, but continues to play her off tune singing and plays one key by one key on the piano. "Are you sure you are able to perform some breathtaking performance? You promised me those and yet all I heard from you is amateur skills. I'm so sorry, but my clients in the restaurant are powerful people. They're here to dine and enjoy some good music…"

Laia calmly stops her playing and turns towards the manager. Smiling widely at the manager, Laia nodded towards the manager and said, "Thank you for the concern. You are so polite at trying to chase me away. I'll thank you by giving you some performance you have never seen before. It's rare for me to perform, but since we are short on money and that people have been talking about this place, which allows you to play one song and earn some generous tips from these rich diners, I have to do it. I'm just warming up to my voice and piano skills since it has been quite a while since I had last played on a piano…"

Leaning back, Laia spotted Kanda sipping quietly to his tea and smiles at him widely. "Yuu-chan!" Laia exclaims loudly, earning many disapproved looks from the diners. "I'm sorry for spending your money and got us this broke, but I'll earn some money back to pay you! I promise!"

The first note began with her fingers gliding gracefully across the keys of the piano as if she has been playing piano all her life, in extreme contrast to her earlier childish playing. The customers and the manager blinked their eyes in a confused way, mouths almost gaping wide open with the sudden skills she seemed to gain after playing armature music for a while. Closing her eyes and immerses her into the song; Laia takes a deep breath and began to sing in a beautiful voice.

Itoshisa wa sugu chikaku ni [Soon I will be by my beloved]

Hontou wa ita no deshita[Who really was here,]

Tsumetai ryoute de [With two cold hands]

Anata no hoho wo tsutsumi [Enveloping his face.]

Nagai tabi wo oetayouna [The long journey came to an end so]

Shizuka na yasuragi no naka [In the middle of quiet tranquility]

Hitori o itande [I grieved alone]

Sukoshi dake nakimashita [And cried just a little]

Everyone in the diner watches with awe at the sound of her beautiful voice and equally graceful piano playing. The manager – too – watches on, seemingly awestruck with such a beauty being able to sing and play at the same time. Kanda notices his jaws gone slightly slack in the left side and quickly regains his composure. No one in the Black Order – that includes himself – has ever imagined that Laia could sing.

Gloria

Subete yo wa koto mo naku [The whole world has nothing]

Gogo no hizashi akaruku [The afternoon sunlight grows bright]

Shiawase no uta hibiki [A song of happiness echoes]

Hibari no oka wa hikaru [And shines on the hill of the skylark]

Anata to tomo ni yukou [Let's go together]

Kono saka michi wo yukou [Along this road]

Musekaeru hodo kaoru [Choking on the smell and]

Wakakusa wo funde [Stepping on the green grass]

Her voice singing loud and clear in the restaurant had silenced everyone. Slowly, the chefs in the kitchen came out to watch who had sung such a beautiful siren-like song. Everyone enjoys the beautifully sad song, and watches on as Laia sings in impressive different high notes and tones.

Kudamono no katachi wo shita [Like a round instrument]

Maarui gakki no you ni [Shaped like a fruit]

Anata ga kanaderu kanashimi to [You played sorrow]

Yorokobi ga [And joy]

Watashi wo arai yusaburi [That washed me and shook me]

Itami to nagusame ga ima [Of my pain and comforts so now]

Anata wo aiseru [I can love you]

Kokoro wo tsukurimashita [You made my heart]

Gloria

Nanika yasashii mono ga [Something wonderful]

Tashikani koko ni ate [Is surely here]

Shiawase no uta utau [I sing a song of happiness]

Sono hakana sa o yukou [Let's go to ephemerality]

Ai to kibou no tameni [For love and hope]

Namida to nie no tameni [For tears and sacrifices]

Mabushii yoru to hiru no [Of radiant nights and noons]

hajimari wo funde [Let's experience the beginning]

The song ends with a series of keys and notes going up and finally ends with her pressing onto the last key on the piano. Closing her eyes, Laia breathes in deeply and smiles contentedly. It's been a while since she had sung and plays her heart out. Standing up quietly, Laia walked towards the front side of the piano and glances at her audiences. Everyone had stopped eating and watches her with interested gleaming eyes. Her eyes searched for the crowd for – aha! – Kanda Yuu. Laia smiles widely at the sight of the Exorcist watching her, and knew she had done a good job by the slight, almost non-existent smile on the Asian Exorcist's beautiful visage. Holding herself in a straight position, Laia gave the crowd a wide, perfect smile and a beautifully performed curtsey.

Before she could stand up, she heard a thundering noise of applause from the diners. Looking up, Laia saw the diners have stood up and gave her a wonderful round of applause, shouting 'Bravo, Bella!' and all sorts of praise showers down on her. Her eyes searches for Kanda Yuu again and felt her heart soar when the Japanese Exorcist – too – gave her a round of applause, his eyes twinkling brightly against the dimmed low lights.

"Bravo Bella!" one of the rich customers shouted to her, standing up and clapping his hands enthusiastically. "Bravo!"

"Beautiful, ma Cherie," another rich customer said loudly. "Simply too beautiful!"

"We'll give you a big tip!" one male customer said loudly. "You've earned them! Well done, beautiful!"

Unable to speak anything else, Laia smiles widely at all the applauding customers and bows gratefully to them for appreciating her musical talents.

**Place-New Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Cafeteria  
Time: Early Morning**

Since that fateful incident whereby Laia earned extra pocket money through performing on a piano, the Black Order had took great care in giving certain Exorcists extra pocket money. A large sum of money goes to the Parasitic Type Exorcists, seeing as they sustains themselves and their Innocences through food and that they requires a large amount of food compares to the other Weapon Type Exorcists. It seems that they do not want the Exorcists to expose themselves through means of having to earn money or anything.

As per usual, the other Exorcists had their morning breakfast together. Everyone is in the Order, gathered together for Innocence Weapons inspections as per Komui's order. There was always a particular Exorcists that everyone paid attention to, seeing as she has somehow distances herself from the others.

Everyone watched as she tore through her meals in a rabid way, not caring for table manners and instead opted for making good use of her hands and stuffing mouthful after mouthful of chicken meat and buns into her mouth. Even Allen's mountain of food looked rather normal compares to the monstrous amount of food covering thetable. A whole dining table complete with food that keeps on coming until she estimated her requirement for food is enough. Jerry had to prepare her meals 2 hours before her meal time, which is always sharp on the clock; 3 main meals, 5 snacks and desserts. That is enough to put the Order a run for their money. Not caring the looks that are thrown her way when she gobbles down her food one after another, Laia ate her meals heartily, looking as though she has been starved thoroughly.

"Don't try to bother her when she's having her meals," Madarao said coldly to the group, his eyes fixated upon Laia, who had begun to attack a roasted chicken. "She has two parasitic Innocences. She needs all the energy she can muster up to keep fighting for the order."

As Madarao walks away and sat in front of the chair facing Laia and her monstrous mountain of food, the other Exorcists watch her with a strange new light in their eyes.

This is precisely the first time they have ever seen her eating in the cafeteria. Most of the time, she would just came by to the cafeteria, orders what she wants, give a sideway emotionless glance to their group, and returns to the hospital ward. The matron gave strict orders for her, and that she is to remains there after returning from her assigned missions each and every time for a good whole week. At the same time, she has been getting assigned missions at such a demand from Komui that her orders are practically piling up one after another, even when her current mission isn't done. Komui have received specific orders from the matron that Exorcist Laia follows what she says or else her food and medicine will be cut off immediately.

Even with Allen's mountain of food and Inspector Link's mountain of cakes, both people's diet couldn't possibly beat the monstrous pile of food lining up on the trolley that keeps coming one after another after she finishes one.

Lavi leans into the group and instinctively, everyone opens up their ears and prepares for the story Lavi is about to tell them. "I heard from Jerry that when she first wakes up after her Innocence evolved back at the old Black Order in Britain, she finishes almost all of the food in the cafeteria's _kitchen, _and she had even requested for more! They had to restock everything in less than 6 hours, and lately with the increased amount of Finders, Jerry had had to order for food from the outside 6 times the normal amount at Britain!"

"What the-" Chaoji Han said in an almost disgusted way, giving Laia a strange glare from the sides of his eyes. He did not like Laia, especially with her status as a possible Heretic, along with Allen Walker. "That's disgusting, stuffing herself silly with that way. She looks like a pig that way."

Kanda's Mugen slammed on the table almost instantly after Chaoji finishes his words, jolting him out of his seat. His silence approach to the group with his soba and the merciless way he slams his Mugen on the table surprises absolutely everyone. Link gave him a tasteless click of his tongue.

"Kanda…" Lenalee said, one hand over her chest with surprise at the sudden appearance of the Japanese Exorcist. "You surprised us..."

Ignoring Lenalee, Kanda glowers down at the now shivering Chaoji and said in the lowest and coldest tone he ever summoned. "I dare you to repeat that again, _stupid_."

Everybody knew Laia's previous partner is Kanda, and that he practically knew her from the inside out better than any other Exorcists that are left in the world. Kanda understands her predicament as someone who wields 2 parasitic Innocences, and that from what he observes from her, it is more of a burden than a gift from the Gods.

In a way, Kanda shows his protectiveness for Laia against those who did not know what she has gone through with a good threat from Mugen.

Burning under Kanda's glare, Chaoji excuses himself immediately and hightailed out of the cafeteria. His fear for Kanda's cold dark eyes prevails over his hate for Laia Elfreya.

"Poor Laia-san," Lenalee said absentmindedly, looking over to where Laia sat as she greedily gobbles down her meals. "She looks almost…pitiful."

"You don't say, Lenalee," Allen picked up from the last sentence with an almost soulful look in his eyes. "I felt hungry all the time with my parasitic Innocence, and I only have one. Wouldn't her hunger be worst if she happens to have two parasitic Innocences?"

"That is just a portion of my story," Lavi piped in again. Leaning back in, Lavi dropped his voice an octave low and continues almost somberly. "Guess what kind of medicine she requests most from the infirmary?" When everyone gave him a blank look, Lavi leans in deeper and hissed the answer. "Painkillers – and it's the strongest ones at that. It seems strange that she requested them in large amount, as if she's suffering from some kind of pain."

"She is though, in a way," said Tokusa suddenly, a grin on his face, as if he's proud that he knew that particular information, grinning all the more when he felt all eyes on him.

God, he loves the attention.

Allen is the one who beats everyone into asking him. "And how do you know about that, Tokusa?"

Tokusa replied almost gleefully, an excited glint in his eyes at having being paid attention at last by the group of elite Exorcists. "Madarao told me," he said proudly, and while everyone's eyes flitted momentarily to the Third Exorcist guarding Laia, watching him pushing another plate of steamed chicken thigh towards her direction, Tokusa continues. "Laia-sama is strong, stronger than all of you combined here if she pushes herself to, but she couldn't escape all the pain from the wounds that she received from the Noahs. Her body couldn't seem to bear all the changes the Innocences put on her, and now that she keeps increasing in power due to orders and to keep up the deal with Lvellie, her body starts to show signs that she's taking the final toll. I heard that because Madarao had to bail her out of trouble and hightail out of the fighting scenes with hundreds of akumas surrounding them when she collapses all of a sudden in the middle of a fight a few times back, and it's been happening regularly now…"

Crinkling his eyebrows, Allen asks, "Why?"

"And what's that got to do with Lvellie?" Lavi piped in, his face somber with wants of answer. "What deal?"

Tokusa smiles slyly. "She had to, for everyone's sake, and that deal is a secret."

"I know about that, Tokusa," Allen said, frustrated with Tokusa's habit of turning a fine conversation into a riddle. "But why? Why everyone's sake?"

Grabbing a drumstick from Allen's pile of food, Tokusa bites down on it and chews slowly. "Now that the Noahs have abandoned her, the Black Order is all that she has left. She loves her adopted brother, and she loves the Black Order. She wanted to see through the end that everyone is safe, and if there is a choice in between sacrificing herself so that the Exorcist members would not be forced to go on dangerous missions, she would do it. Ever wonder why your missions are so simple? It has to do with Lvellie."

"And she's doing it now, isn't it?" Kanda said suddenly, his voice long thought to be lost from the group. Kanda glances up from his now empty tray of soba and gave a cold glare to Tokusa.

Tokusa placed one finger on his lips and grinned teasingly. "You didn't hear it from me."


	5. Tears of Sadness

**Chapter 5**

**Tears of Sadness**

The little group encounters a random group of Akumas, and in a moment time, the Akumas are dead, killed by the exorcists.

Laia had stood there without doing anything and watches as the other Exorcists worked their kills. Kanda had even saved her a few times before the Akumas could land a hit on her.

"Laia, are you out of your mind?" Kanda scolded her, who stares at him and explains with a forlorn expression on her face.

"I was listening to the souls… they're so pitiful, and they thank us for helping them, Yuu…"

Kanda walks on the road while thinking, pondering on the thoughts and possibilities that Laia could see the souls as well as Allen Walker. It was a gift, and it was a curse as well. From what Lavi had said, it was so horrible that he couldn't sleep for days, and it was like a living nightmare to be able to see the souls within, all wrapped up and trapped within.

Noticing the absence of the sound of her boots, Kanda stopped. Laia loves to follow Yuu from behind, knowing that there are snacks in his bags like fruits and such. Kanda, on the other hand, wanted her to stay away from Daisya, and had brought these snacks for her, luring her away from Daisya and knowing that she'll rummage through his bag for the food instead of Daisya's. Strange to say, he felt a fit of jealousy surfaces through him whenever he saw just how close Daisya is to Laia. He didn't like it.

But today, he felt his bag is just as heavy as it had started out to be after the fight. He senses that Laia did not eat the food that he had prepared for her. His heart tugged at the sense that there is something wrong with Laia, and there is the great need to look back and check up on her.

Turning around, he found out that she had stopped walking and stood there, clutching her heart with her head hung down.

"Hurry up," Kanda snapped at her, trudging back to her in large strides and prepared to kick her just so he could get her to move faster. Before he could do it, however, he noticed something not right about her.

Clutching her heart, Laia's face contorted in a sorrowful expression as tears streamed down her face, a sob stuck in her throat as she tried to breathe properly in large gulps of air.

"Wha-" Kanda mumbled out, his snide comment stuck in his throat at the sight of the suddenly crying Laia.

Daisya and Marie stopped their tracks upon hearing Laia's sob. Daisya dropped his heavy bags and walked towards Laia in equally large strides and enveloped her in his embrace, patting her head as her sobs escalated into a full-scale wail of sorrow.

"You don't just stand there and leave a girl crying to herself," Daisya said teasingly, spreading his crooked smile on his face as he wriggled his eyebrow at Kanda while patting Laia's head soothingly encouraging her to sob and wail to her heart's content in his arms. "A man's strong arms and body are made for that reason."

"They're so pitiful… the Akumas…" Laia wailed, crying her heart out in Daisya's shoulder. "So pitiful…"

"If you pity them, Laia," Kanda said out of the blue, surprising everyone. "Then all the more reason to put them out of their misery. Your Innocence is made for you to do that. Help them in that way."

Detaching herself from Daisya, Laia wiped her tears away and trudged towards Kanda.

"But it's so hard to do it… I don't have the heart to kill them…" Laia said to Kanda, tears welling up in her eyes again.

Kanda sighed and clicked his tongue in annoyance. Raising his hand, Kanda wiped her tears away with his thumb. "Don't cry. Crying is not going to help them. Use your Innocence well as they have been given to you. We are all they have for a hope to salvage their souls."

Kanda walked closer to Laia and heaved up her bag. She looks up at him with that adorable eyes of hers, sobbing from time to time as her tears fell down. Clicking his tongue in disapproval, Kanda wiped her tears with his thumb and chided her a little.

"Stop crying. It's unsightly," Kanda said to her, continuing to wipe tears away from her face.

It was so rare for Kanda to comfort her, and she felt so touched that she lets out a full blown wail and hugged him tightly.

"Oh dear," Marie said, hearing and feeling that Laia had hugged Kanda. He also heard Kanda's heart accelerated, and he is sure that the Asian Exorcist is red in the face.

"Laia!" Kanda called her, trying to detach himself from her but to no avail. She kept on crying while the rest looks on.

**Place-New Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Corridors of the Exorcists' Rooms  
Time: Late At Night**

**Place-New Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Cafeteria  
Time: Early Morning**

Kanda came up to the Exorcist's floor deep into the night after he had finished training. He still couldn't get used to the new grounds and had a hard time concentrating in his meditations. Nonetheless, he did it almost 3 hours later and continued into the night, feeling entirely rejuvenated despite there being no changes in his emotions. He's still cranky with the new guards posted all over the Black Order and outside the corridor leading towards the Exorcist's dormitories, he's still annoyed with the Finders and definitely, he's still lividly mad with Madarao's icy demeanor.

Nearly stomping, the samurai came up to the floor leading to his room and saw a dark figure by the walls, seemingly bend over and taking deep short huffed breaths.

Kanda had an idea who that figure was, and he planned to just walk pass her and ignore the fact that she was there at all. When he finally pass by her, however, his heart screamed out for her and he couldn't help but to slow down his steps and came to a stop by a tiredly panting Laia.

"Where's Madarao?" Kanda asked in a low tone, breaking the silence with his deep masculine voice. Laia didn't appear to register his presence at all. It looks to Kanda that she was merely attempting to ignore him as she braced the wall with one hand whilst the other held on tightly to her chest, concentrating in breathing deeply with her eyes closed while beads of sweat trailed down the sides of her temple. When she continues to ignore him standing beside her, his eyes glanced at her sideways and watched her as she straightened up and moved across the corridor with difficulty with the wall as her support, attempting desperately to escape the towering Asian Exorcist. "Isn't he your watchdog?" Kanda asked again, breaking the silence with his silky low baritone voice.

Then she stopped walking. Kanda couldn't speculate if she was offended by his words or merely she appears out of breath and rested for a while. Leaning her back completely behind the cold rough walls, Laia finally opens her eyes and placing her emerald gaze at him for a while, as if contemplating whether or not talking to him is worth the loss of her energy. After a moment, she straightened back up and continued her walk back to her room.

After a while, Laia finally decided to break the silence once again and answered him in a small raspy whisper. "…Lvellie needs him."

There was a pause. He uttered a small "Che" and continued to walk back to his room, deciding that ignoring her is probably the best option. He kept repeating in his mind that she is no longer the all innocent Laia he knew a few months back. He kept telling himself that Laia is now corrupted by Lvellie and that she is now his new pet. He kept repeating it in his mind again and again that the old Laia is dead, that she will never again resurface back and that she will never again tell him every day just how much she loves him.

At the thought of her daily confession once upon a time ago, he stopped walking. Heaving a sigh, he turned back, walked briskly towards her and scooped Laia up easily, proceeding to strode back to his room. He prefers to enter from his room and from there; he'll enter her room from their adjoining bathroom's door. Somehow, he didn't think that Laia would have brought her room's key with her.

It's hard to believe that it's only months ago, she would squeak and put up a great fuss if she is lifted up from the floor by him, refusing entirely to be carried by him because she could walk. Now, she merely gasped and kept quiet, not bothering to put up a single protest.

Kanda smirked at her silence and said almost teasingly, "Not feeling like kicking up a fuss like the brat you used to be?"

Laia responded by hooking one arm around his neck and leaning her head into the crook of his neck. She rested her cheek contentedly on his shoulder and sighed as she whispered her reply slowly, "…I'm tired…"

He took his sweet time walking slowly back to his room. Taking the rare opportunity that arises with Madarao's absence, Kanda asked the girl in his arms, smiling victoriously, knowing that she couldn't escape his questionings anymore. "What is Lvellie making you do, Laia?"

Laia, who had dozed off by the lull of Kanda's heartbeat, woke up at the sound of her name. Despite having closed her eyes, Laia did not sleep. She personally finds that she couldn't sleep when she's that close with Kanda, and that is a secret that she will not tell anyone unless she is on the brink of death. Looking up at him through her lashes, Laia answered him in the same raspy whisper, "That is none of your business."

Kanda rolled his eyes. _Of course she would say that, _Kanda thought inwardly. "If you happen to recall anything of the past months, I am still your partner; your comrade. You still belong in Tiedoll Unit. Even if I didn't ask, that old fart would ask you himself too."

"Leave Tiedoll out of this," Laia hissed dangerously, causing Kanda to halt his steps and look down at her. Her fiery emerald eyes burns with intensity at the guilt Kanda is trying to use to pry in formations out of her. "Don't use Tiedoll as a way to make me confess. I've sworn to keep it a secret as long as he keeps his. If he breaks it, then I'll break mine."

Leaning in, Kanda stares boldly into her eyes and noted that she is wavering at their close proximity. He could feel her small pants of breaths breathing softly against his lips. "Then I'll make him break his," Kanda said to her in a low voice, wanting her to be the only one to hear it in case the walls suddenly sprouted ears. Keeping his dark gaze at her, Kanda held her gaze a while longer and continues, "If he breaks it, will you tell me then?"

It has been a while since Kanda had seen such uncertain gaze on Laia Elfreya. Her eyes darted everywhere while one of her fingers gripped onto the front of his linen shirt, a sign that she is not willing to cooperate, and yet at the same time desperately wanting someone to care so much that they would force her to reveal the truth. "…Why would you want to know?" she finally replied him in her raspy voice.

Frowning disapprovingly at the raspy voice, Kanda concluded that she has not been taking proper intake of fluid for at least a whole day. Closing his eyes frustratingly, Kanda opens them and raised his voice a little in a slight hissing tone, "Just tell me!"

Laia frowns and closes her eyes tightly, her hand on the front of his chest flying to her temple and held them hard, trying to ease the growing migraine. In a shaky voice, Laia said to him, "…Yes, I promise. My head hurts…you're talking too loud…"

Kanda watches her for a while, noting that her eyes are drooping heavily, threatening to cover those beautiful emerald orbs of hers from his. He felt his heart wrenched painfully when he felt just how light and skinny she felt in his arms. He could feel her rib bones with just a light brush of his hands. She had not been taking enough food, and had lost a significant amount of weight from it when her Innocence continues to suck her precious energy at a rapid daily basis. Leaning in close, Kanda brushes his lips on her forehead lovingly and mumbles his apologies against her skin.

Her door lay at the end of the short corridor, slightly ajar, as he observes it himself. Pushing it open as quietly as he could manage with his rough demeanor, Kanda walked into Laia's bedroom and gently places her down on the bed, tucking her in and making sure she feels comfortable. When she finally settles in, Kanda took it upon himself to watch over her until she is asleep. Kneeling down by the side of her bed, Kanda held one of her hand up to his cheek and kisses the palm of her hand, sighing almost contentedly with the feel of her skin beneath his lips.

"…I'm just…tired…Kanda…" Laia said suddenly in a sleepy voice, her eyes focusing onto Kanda's ministration on her hand. "So very tired…till I feel…I felt like dying these days…Do you, Kanda?"

Kanda chuckled bitterly to himself at the sound of his surname. "Whatever happens to you calling me by my first name, woman? I seem to recall perfectly well that you always do it despite me telling you otherwise."

Laia smiles tiredly. "You didn't like it anyway…so what's the point in continuing it?"

Turning her hand around, Kanda kisses the back of her hand and leans in close to her face. In a low soft voice, Kanda said timidly to her after a long period of silence. "…You're one of the first to constantly call me by my first name even with my sword at your throat, Laia." Pausing for a while, Kanda continues uncertainly, "It's…weird…when you call me Kanda…"

The male Exorcist felt a slight grip on his hand holding hers. She had tried to grip his hand tightly in hers, but all she could manage in her weakened state is a feeble squeeze. "…I'll keep you alive, Yuu-kun…" she said in a whisper so soft that Kanda isn't sure if he had heard her calling his first name correctly. "I'll keep everyone out of harm's way…I swear on my soul…"

Kanda watches her eyelids slides close heavily, a deep breathing ensures afterwards as she slips into a deep slumber under his gaze. Kanda couldn't believe that his heart wrenches wretchedly when he sees her looking paler as the day goes by. It was a sad sight to behold. His once cheerful and beautiful Laia wilting right in front of him practically kills his soul.

Gripping her hand tightly in his, Kanda kisses the back of her hand and whispered hotly against her skin, "Uphold your promise made to me. You've sworn with your soul that you'll stay and live. Make sure you keep that promise. For all of us – Laia – live."


	6. In Your Arms

**Chapter 5**

**In Your Arms**

"Silver Verdic!" Laia exclaims, and the pair of twin revolver guns came out of the moonstone gateway and landed in her hand. Loading it with pure silver bullets that came from within the revolvers, Laia fires the guns at akumas, instantly causing the akumas to explode into nothingness with multiple shots of silver bullets.

"Mugen!" Kanda exclaims, slicing akumas here and there with quick dexterousness.

Kanda and Laia fought restlessly against an advancing group of akuma. There is so many that no matter how much Kanda swings and how many gunshots Laia fired with their Innocence's, the akumas' number do not dwindle.

Suddenly, Laia's weapons seem to glow, and the light that hits the akumas becomes so poisonous to the akumas that they melted and exploded. It seemed to sense its master in danger and protected the exorcists from being slaughtered by the akumas.

When the light finally stopped shining, Laia found that in her hands were two silver chokutos, and suddenly, she knew their names.

"Moonlight Artemis," Laia said, the swords glowing an eerie shade of silver and white. "Activate!"

Her weapons evolved, and she became more powerful. Kanda watches as she finishes the rest of the akumas with ease by the swing of both of her chokutos. Silver trails of molten silver liquid trails behind the chokuto wherever it was swung, and when it came into contact with the akumas, they melted and soon, explodes.

Finishing the fight with a graceful landing to the ground, Laia came to Kanda and smiles.

"My weapons evolved! Look!" Laia said happily, showing to Kanda her new weapons, chokutos.

"They look like mine…" Kanda mentions, and stares at the beautiful piece of work.

"Of course they'll look like yours. I requested my innocence to make another one that looks like yours…" Laia said, withdrawing her weapons back into her moonstone bangles.

Then, another akuma suddenly surfaces from the ground. This time, it was a level 3. They were so surprised by its appearance here that they couldn't do anything. A level 3 is still too powerful for them to overthrow, and so they opted to run.

"Run!" Kanda said to Laia, who refuses to listen to him and continues to fight the Akumas. Heaving a sigh, Kanda ran towards Laia and scooped her up into his arms and begun to run.

"Yuu!" Laia screamed, looking back at the akuma. Having a great idea, Laia withdrew her Silver Verdic revolver guns and fired at the Akuma while Kanda carried her in his arms.

"For once, you had a great idea, Laia," Kanda said, smirking while he ran with Laia in his arms.

"I am in your arms for once, Yuu…" Laia said to him, continuing to fire silver bullets at the akuma, which had begun to slow down with the gradual poisoning from the innocence.

"I won't let go of you, so don't worry and continue to fire that bastard until its dead!" Kanda said, exclaiming while he leaps over a waterfall with Laia in his arms. For once, he felt alive, and he laughs heartily before they fell into the water together with the akuma exploding up above them.

They landed deep into the waters, and Laia's arms flailed around her. She couldn't swim, and she watches as precious air bubbles floated to the surface. Slowly, she sinks, deeper and deeper into the water.

As she tries to reach feebly up to the surface with her hand, another set of hand pulls her into a hard set of body and kisses her, giving her life oxygen that she needed desperately to survive.

It was Kanda.

He opens his mouth and gave her the oxygen she needed to survive, and gently pulls her head and she body to him, latching her onto him so as to not let her float away. He panicked for once when he reaches the surface and saw no one. Laia must be still underwater, he thought to himself, and takes a deep breath of air before diving back down and found her sinking into the water with her hand trying to reach to the surface.

It had been an instinct to pull her to him and kiss her then and there. They had their first underwater kiss, and after a few moments, Kanda releases her and stares at her, who stares back at him. He never knew that she is so beautiful underwater, with her long hair floating around her like a water nymph, and her beautiful set of eyes and peach colored lips. I've kissed her, Kanda thought to himself. I've kissed her!

With that, he pulls them up to the surface and broke the surface powerfully, creating a large splash with the icy water. Slowly, he pulls her to the surface and hauled her over to safety grounds, where she is coughing out excess water that has entered her lungs.

"Are you alright, Laia?" Kanda asks her, wringing water out from his long hair. He watches her cough as hard as she could and spit water out from her mouth.

"I'm good… " Laia said, panting. "Thanks for saving me… and the kiss…" Laia said to him, all the while not looking at him and waved her hand at him.

**Place-New Black Order Headquarters Britain  
Lower Grounds, Dungeons  
Time: Late At Night**

Leverier's hand slammed on the small table loudly, jerking everyone out of their seats but Komui and Laia.

"All you have to do is to succumb to our orders and give me the whereabouts of the rest of the Apostals-" said Leverier, spit flying out of his mouth when he said loudly.

"I will not," Laia panted, her face solemn, cold sweat dripping off her forehead in bullets. "For the life of them, succumb to your bloody orders and your evil doings and wants, Leverrier. I swear on my soul."

"You dare to rebuke my orders!?" Leverier said, standing up and backhanded Laia's face, making her accidentally bit on her lips and bleed.

Coldly, Leverier stares at her with his dead eyes and gave out the orders, "Continue."

The man standing beside Laia turns on the switch, and electric current ran through her for the hundredth time that night.

Laia had been escorted to the Lower Ground's Dungeon by Madarao, orders of Leverier. Madarao had looked so guilty back then, and Laia had followed him nonetheless, knowing what lies ahead of her she should choose to follow Madarao. For her comrades, she is willing. The moment she arrives, he had the men waiting in the dungeon hit her until she is bloodied. He then had men put her in a metal chair, wherein her hands and feet are bounded by steel. Immediately, the men turn on the switch and electrocuted her with electric. She bits her lips until it bleeds and holds in her scream, not willing to give in to whatever it is that Leverier is forcing her to do.

"Stop," Leverier said to the man, and the man switches the electricity off. "Change."

Taking her away from the chair, Leverier had the men chain her up and start to whip her back. This time, she screams in pain.

Whips after whips of ironed whip came slashing at her back, drawing blood from her once smooth skin. Biting her lips in an effort not to scream out loud, Laia closed her eyes tightly, trying hard not to think about the agonizing pain breaking her skin behind her back.

"Stop!" a voice came through the door and vibrated throughout the cold steely room. It was Komui. The pain stopped, and upon seeing the Commander of the Black Order, the men whipping Laia stopped whipping her. Laia heaved a sigh of relief. Her rescuers had come to rescue her out of this miserable dungeon.

"What is the meaning of this, Leverier!?" said Allen, his Crowned Clown activated and protected Laia from the beatings of the ironed whip, now lay useless on the floor upon coming into contact of the near-indestructible Innocence.

"Allen Walker, Komui Lee, and the rest of the Exorcists!" said Leverrier, glaring at the silver-haired exorcist and the rest of the people that had come through the dungeon door. "This is an off-limit ground for all. Third Exorcist, get him out of here immediately!"

"Laia-san!" Lenalee screamed upon seeing Laia knelt all bloodied after Allen removed his Crowned Clown cloak around her, helping her to stand up and avoiding her heavily bleeding back, running towards Allen and offered to help her to get out of her prison.

The Third Exorcist Tevak stepped in.

"She is not to leave here without the Inspector's command," said Tevak in monotone, unconsciously stirring up the entire Exorcist's anger.

"She's a human and an Exorcist!" said General Froi, his temper rising, angry at the fact that his only female disciple had been abused without his knowledge. "She is not a prisoner! She is my student! How could she be treated with such treatment!? Hadn't she given her all to vanquish the akumas?!"

All the time, Leverrier had lied to the entire Exorcist that Laia had gone to missions. He had also forced Komui to lie on his behalf in order to get Laia underground, where she is tortured every single day in order to make her spill out the secrets of Noahs.

"She is the sister of the 14th-" Leverrier started.

"My Nii-sama..." said Laia, interrupting Leverrier, panting in pain and sweating bullets."My Nii-sama adopted me. I am not his blood sister. There never was a 15th, and there never was supposed to have a 14th. The Noahs...The Noahs only have 13, the number associated with blood. Nii-sama...he's just a player...a musician in the House of Noahs..."

"All the same, you once lived with the 14th and his family of Noahs. In other words, you are a traitor of the Black Order."

"You know full well it's a sin to hurt an Exorcist, Leverrier," Komui said, rebuking his words fearlessly. "Unless you want to lose your position right now, I suggest you to stop all this foolishness."

"I will not let her go, and here she will stay until I get what I want!"

"Release her at once!" Komui exclaims at Leverier's face, and Leverier cocked a gun out of his pocket.

Immediately, due to the threat that Leverier is posing to Komui, the Commander of the Black Order, everyone cocked a weapon out of nowhere and soon, the room is tense with the intentions of murder.

"You dare, Leverier?" Komui said, fearless of the man that is standing in front of him. He may be someone of power here in Black Order, but Komui himself is no less a Commander of the Black Order himself. He knew Leverier needs him alive more so than the rest of them, and that his life is as important as the rest of the Accommodators of the Innocence.

"I haven't done anything!" Laia exclaimed in a weak voice, her eyes getting blurred. "My Innocence could confirm the truth! I am not a traitor of the Black Order!"

"Then if you are not, why are you so close with the host of the 14th, Allen Walker?"

"We Exorcist have bonds," started Lavi, ignoring Bookman's remarks. "We are not the same as you frail humans, Leverrier. We hold onto the bonds we Exorcist forged our self and fight to our death on the front line while you humans hide behind our backs. And yet, here we are, being ordered by mere humans. If we wanted, we could just leave you humans to die."

"The 14th is an ally of the Black Order 7000 years ago..." started Laia, surprising everyone with her confession.

"What did you say?" said Komui.

"My Nii-sama is the very person who started the Black Order upon knowing that the 1st Disciple had made a contract with Lucifer. The 1st Disciple had gone astray, and can no longer be saved. He brain-washed all the other Noahs, leaving Jyodo-Nii-sama and my Nii-sama alone for they stayed with him, not knowing that both of them are plotting to take him down."

"Nii-sama started the Black Order and forged the Innocence 7000 years ago, allowing me, the Heart, and the one last originals of the humans, to be sealed for 7000 years, allowing the accommodators time to search for me, and allowing for me to stand in the front lines. Once they've found me, all Innocence will soon evolve, meaning the Last War is drawing closer."

"He would be so disappointed if he were to know that the Black Order had refused to allow me to stand in the front line to protect the other Exorcists, for the Heart is practically invincible."

"Invincible? What do you mean by invincible?"

"If I am to be sealed away, the Exorcist will have no other ways to win the wars. If I am in the front lines with the other Exorcists, I can harness my power as the Heart and increase the entire Exorcist's synchro rate by will, and all of you would be able to fight the Noahs IF, I am in the front lines."

"And why must it be you?"

"Because...I am Die Dame Von El"

"What did you say, Laia?" Komui started, surprise on his face.

"The Die Dame Von El…" Lavi started monotonously, all serious on his face. "The Die Dame Von El, the girl that the God El loves. She is protected by the Gods, and whoever who hurts her shall receive retribution from the God of El himself."

"Who is this God of El…?" Leverrier ask, and Lavi smirked at him.

"He is the God of all Gods, Leverrier…" Lavi started, knowing that Leverrier will receive his retribution soon enough for daring to harm the girl that the God loves. "He has the ability to create and un-create something from a matter, and is so powerful that he could wipe out the entire Earth with a single glance with his all powerful all seeing eyes. You have never heard of him before, because he is an Ancient God amongst the Ancient ones. All Bookman knew him, because he is once the God of all Gods…"

"Please, Laia, if you would just... just give us clues as to the whereabouts of the accommodators, then we will have a chance to win against the Earl," Komui started gently, not wanting her to think otherwise. He wanted to save her, and at the same time, he wanted so desperately to save the Earth.

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Laia asks, appearing tired and on the verge of collapse.

"You are the Heart. The Heart is the only Innocence capable to think and speak to its host, surely you could just-"

"I am the Heart's host, not the Heart itself. The Heart resides within me, and in return, it saves me and the ones I love from harm. I am only human, Komui, not Hevlaska..."

Taking a deep breath, Komui knelt down heavily in front of Laia and bows his head. "Please, Laia, I beg you. The rest of the Exorcists are dying. We couldn't fight the Earl with this amount of Exorcists. We need more people like you to fight for us. For humanity..."

"Funny that Humanity you just mentioned does nothing much to save me from harm…" Laia said, staring and glaring at Leverier.

It was then Laia suddenly glows red. Her whole being vibrated with power and a beautiful musical sound like water with glass vibrates in the air. She closes her eyes and listens to the inner voice talking to her. The light dispersed, and she awakens. "Very well. I will tell you the whereabouts of a few accommodators. My Innocences agreed to help the humankind. But I'm afraid I can only speak in riddles. I cannot directly tell you, because the Innocence forbade me to do so."

Komui came up and patted Laia's head softly, smiling in a grateful way that breaks Laia's heart. "It's alright. We'll figure it out somehow."

A tear fell from Laia's eyes, and she sings the song with the riddles. She closes her eyes, and a musical water-like sound came from her mouth.

Innocences, the Jewel of God,

The only weapon against the Noahs,

Granted to humans knowledge presents,

Search it on your own, along with a host.

Here we lie on large stone water,

Hidden within a sacred winged being,

Protecting the pride of a chessman champion,

I became a thief to save my Mother.

With that, Laia's body wobbles, and she fainted. Before she could hit the ground, Kanda came from behind and scooped her fail body up in his arms, resting her head against his shoulder safely in his embrace.

He picked her up gently, swiping her legs off the ground and places her gently in his embrace. He held her close to him, and with that, he strode out with the rest of the Exorcist following behind him, and following the Heart. They reach out to Laia, because she is their comrade, their sister, their loved ones, and their one and only Heart of the Innocences.

She is the Queen.

"I will never forget this, Leverier," Kanda said to Leverier coldly in a murderous tone. "One more time, and you shall receive the retribution the God of El shall give you. I swear by my sword."

With a swish of his long Exorcist outfit and his hair, Kanda strode out of the dungeon carefully with Laia in his arms.


	7. The Ark

**Chapter 6  
The Ark**

The Ark is falling apart, and all they could do is huddle. There is nothing else they could do. The others seem to not make it alive, and had gone down with the Ark that is falling apart. It was then suddenly, he heard a voice singing in his head.

When the Ark is first revealed to all, everyone doesn't know how to control it. Only Marian knew how to control it, and he did it with Allen Walker.

**_Soshite bouya wa nemuri ni tsuite[And so the little boy fell into his slumber]_**

**_Ikizuku hai no naka no honoo[The gasping flames within the ashes]_**

**_Hitotsu, futatsu toone by one]_**

For a moment, he thought that he saw Laia wearing a white knee-length dress singing along beside him, her hand placed softly on the piano cover with a light smile on her face. She looks so beautiful and young, with a rose in her long hair.

Her eyes were so sweet, so full of happiness, and so full of-

"Control the Ark, Allen!" the sound of Marian's voice buzzed through his earpiece connector, shocking him in a way. "Play while concentrating on your wish!"

"W-wish!?" Allen stuttered, surprised with the demand.

"Hurry up!" Marian exclaims, pushing Allen while he stumbles on a loose rock with Lenalee in his arms.

He saw Laia sings a magical chanting song, and he is enchanted. For a long while, he watches her sing, and slowly, she begun to dance.

In his imagination, Laia wears a white dress framed with golden laces surrounding the sides of the dress. Her dress is covered with another sheer material of gold transparent shining material, and there are a few crystals hanging all around the dress in random pattern. It shines whenever she turns and do a pirouette, and she is beautiful.

While Allen stumbles over how to play and how to wish, he thought about Komui and his conversation with him earlier.

"_We'll wait for everyone to come home, and we'll throw a large party. Everyone would have a good time."_ Komui said to him happily.

The feeling of wanting to go home with everyone arises with him, and his fingers moved. Playing confidently a song that he had never played before, he focused entirely on his wish, and begun to feel the Ark coming back in pieces. The song that Laia sings, and her voice came out into the air out of nowhere.

_When everyone comes back, we'll say welcome back and pat their backs…Then I'll hug Lenalee as tightly as I can, and I'll let you eat as much as you can, Allen-kun…_

**_Soshite bouya wa nemuri ni tsuite[And so the little boy fell into his slumber]_**

**_Ikizuku hai no naka no honoo[The gasping flames within the ashes]_**

**_Hitotsu, futatsu toone by one]_**

_Lavi'll probably fall asleep somewhere, so we'll have to cover him with a blanket._

The first note of her song is so enchanting that he couldn't help but to look and stare. She didn't appear to notice him, but he knew she is singing, and he knew she knows he is there, but just that she did not look at him and continues to sing.

**_Ukabu fukurami itoshii yokogao[Rise up and expand into that beloved face]_**

**_Daichi ni taruru ikusen no[suspended from the earth in thousands of]_**

**_Yume, yume[dreams, dreans]_**

**_Gin no hitomi no yuragu yoru ni[On the night when those silver eyes trembled]_**

**_Umareochita kagayaku omae[You were born, shining brightly]_**

**_Ikuoku no toshitsuki ga[No matter how many prayers are returned to the earth]_**

**_Ikutsu inori o tsuchi e kaeshite mo[Returned to the earth by the passing millions of years]_**

_The adults will want to toast with a glass of wine. If we could party then fall asleep, then it would be the best._

One by one, the arc came back in one whole piece again. White power light embedded them together, and they were sealed again as whole. Allen continues to play the piano, and watches Laia dances around him in a phantom-like state.

**_Watashi wa inori tsuzukeru[I shall continue to pray]_**

**_Douka kono ko ni ai o[No matter what, shower this child with love]_**

On the other side of the war, Laia lies in a pool of her own blood, a small smile on her face as she lies there, defeated by the Noah, but at the same time, she kills the Noah with her own hands without letting him know her real identity. Everyone knows that the Earl is watching everything through the eyes of the Akuma and through the eyes of the Noahs. Everyone knew that, and Laia is being careful enough to constantly wear a mask to prevent him from finding out that she is still alive. It would be hell to pay if he knew.

_Then Kanda-kun will come in with a sour face._

**_Tsunaida te ni KISU o[And kiss on the connected hands]_**

Then Laia's voice sounded again in his mind, singing along as he played.

The song ended, and Allen shouted loudly, "Ark! Bring me back everyone! Give me back! Give them back!"

Suddenly, the Ark resealed as one whole building once more in a very fast pace. Allen is shocked with his power and stood there transfixed, looking and staring at the keyboards in front of him. It is a beautiful piano, but his powers… where did it come from?

First, it was Lavi and Chaoji, who woke up feeling surprised and utterly renewed. The Ark had come back, and is gathering altogether again in one piece. In the process, the fallen Exorcists that had fallen into the Ark in between came back in one whole piece. After that, the Ark gave back the unconscious Krory, toppled over right outside the bloody Mary, sleeping with a smile and a rose beside him.

Then comes Laia, who lies in a pool of her own blood, a slight smile on her mouth, looking ever so innocent, like a dying damsel in distress waiting for someone to rescue her. There are rose petals everywhere, red ones, and everything smells of roses, while her hair spreads around her like a halo.

Lastly, Kanda came back to his senses, and noticed that he is not dead. So surprised, Kanda is speechless, and he looked around. He found that his surroundings are completely unharmed. Everything was in their rightful place and not in pieces. He is not dead… not dead… this Ark is not falling apart…

Standing up, Kanda trudged towards the door. Going through, he looked back once more, and turns around, not going back again to this hell hole and making sure that he has left absolutely nothing here.

When he finally went through, the first thing he saw is rose petals. Red ones and they are everywhere, emitting a rose scent that is lovely and choking at the same time.

Not to mention there are splatters of blood almost everywhere. He followed the blood stains, praying badly that it is not Laia.

And there she is, lying in a pool of her own blood, with a smile on her face. There is a few whole roses lying around her, and she looks eerily beautiful in this way.

"Laia!" Kanda exclaims, quickly going to her side and turns her over, checking her for any wounds.

But he found none.

So where the blood did came from?

"Laia…" Kanda called again, and she flutters her eyelids slowly.

"Yuu…" Laia said his name weakly, and fell back asleep once again.

"Laia!" Kanda calls, but to no avail. She has fallen back to sleep once again.

Giving a light "Tsk" with his tongue, Kanda lifts her up from the pool of blood and into his arms. When he looked at the pool of blood, the blood suddenly dries up, leaving only flower petals…

Not bothering to investigate, Kanda carried Laia to the next door, and out he came into an empty room.

"The last occupant must have left us… shit…" Kanda curses, talking in a way as if he is talking to Laia. Walking again to the next room, Kanda exited and saw Allen hugging his little golden ball, Timcampy.

Not to mention he heard her singing just now… it was about a boy. A boy that she swore will love forever, a little boy. It sounded like a song that only mothers would sing. So is it a mother's song? A mother who loves her little boy so much that she swore she will protect forever? Who is the boy?

Marian came in with Lenalee in tow in his arms. She has fainted again, and Marian gently places her on the couch. Allen pushes Marian away and looks at her.

"Lenalee!" Allen called worried sick for her well being. She is injured, and her legs are not helping as well. She is deficit, and it will be hard for her to walk again without the help of others. She suddenly becomes heavy due to the innocence's power sticking to her legs, and there are whirls of round things appear on her legs, preventing her from walking too long on her own.

"She is fine, she is just asleep. The poor girl's tired, let her sleep…" Marian said, dusting some dust off his clothes. With that, he walks away, taking out a cigarette and smokes on the nearby window. It is all thanks to the 14th's brilliant idea that the Earl does not know this place at all. What the Earl doesn't know will never be downloaded into his data on the other side of the doorway. They are safe, since Allen has brought back the Ark. The Order can use it to make experiments, and perhaps create a safer route for every exorcist to come back to the Order's Home.

Or perhaps still, everyone could use it and stays in there. After all, it is the safest place on the whole world. He must bring this up to the council. Or else the ark would have gone wasted. There are so many houses there as well. And it is a rich man's place. Who doesn't want to live in a moving ark?

"Oh, yeah, Shishou?" Allen called, a question mark on his head. Marian looked up at him and blows a whiff of smoke over his face. Allen held his breath and made a face at his master. "Shishou, I have something I wanna ask you."

"Can't it wait?" Marian clicked his tongue, and Allen continues nonetheless.

"Why did I see Laia-san dancing and singing that song? She doesn't know that song and this Ark, right?" Allen said to him, his eyes staring and gouging all reaction from his master. Marian clicked his tongue again.

"You don't have to know that…" Marian said to him, blowing out a ring of smoke from his mouth expertly. Allen watches it fades away and ask again.

"Tell me. I won't tell the others if that is the case…" Allen said to him, a sincere look on his face. Marian sighed in defeat.

"You win this time, brat!" Marian said to him, clicking his tongue again and again. He didn't like people forcing him for information. Sure, he could sell them for a high price, but what would that brings him? It would only bring more disaster.

"She is the last human to live in the natural disaster that God has set upon humans…" Marian said, and waited for a reaction from Allen. When he listens attentively, Marian continues. "She is Die Dame Von El, the girl that the God, El, loves. She is lucky in a way, because she gets to live a long life, and after 7000 years, she is released from her captive capsule that Kanda has accidentally sets her free from. She lives with us again, fighting for the Black Order that the 14th created. She is destined to live and fight for us, and die for us as well. And Kanda, well… you heard what Hevlaska has said…"

"Die Dame Von El?" Allen said to him, curious because he has heard that name somewhere. He brieftly remembers the grand general told him about this a little bit, and said that she would be their salvation. "But I thought she's dead…"

"She is Laia Elfreya," Marian said, waiting for Allen's reaction. When his face remains dumb, he rubbed his head in frustration. "Don't you see? Elfreya. El. The God El loves her enough to give her and grant her that grand name. It protects her, and she, well… we suspects that she is the Heart. But we are not sure. So far, her abilities are increasing, yes, but so does you. You might be the heart as well. We won't know for sure. It is either her, or you, or someone out there that we have yet to find…" Marian said to him.

"There's something else that you need to know as well…" Marian told Allen, and patted his shoulders. "Ever wonder why you had that kind of strange feeling as if you have seen her somewhere else?"

"Yeah…" Allen said, blank for once with all the information. So she is Die Dame Von El, and she is not dead but alive, here, living after 7000 years of imprisonment in a time barrier, fighting the Earl with them side by side and gaining powers so fast that she becomes stronger every single day. How could she become this powerful? Surely there is a catch behind it? He himself becomes powerful because the Innocence has made a contract with him, to protect and save the human kind with one of his hand while the other monstrous one is used to save the Akumas. It is his noble duty as an Exorcist, and he does not kill. He saves. He is the Clown, and the Crowned Clown is the proof that he is to defeat the Earl. He is the destined time destroyer.

"Surely you can sense who she is to you? The 14th?" Marian again said to him, crouching down to see him eye to eye. Allen leans back.

"Shishou, what do you mean?" Allen asks, confused with how Marian treats him. Marian sighs and blows a puff of smoke on Allen's face. This time, Allen coughs.

"She is the 14th's sister…" Marian said, and Allen's eyes grow.

The 14th's sister? Allen thought to himself. The 14th's sister… the 14th's sister…

"She is protected by the 14th, and the Earl did something horrible to her, causing her to evolve beyond what a normal human does, and gains all those monstrous powers. You don't want to be her those 7000 years ago…"

Soon, Kanda and Lavi came in with Kanda carrying Laia in his arms, while Lavi held the poor and fainted Krory in his arms. Kanda sets Laia down on the floor, and suddenly, a strange light surrounds Laia.

Everyone was thrown back by the force of the light from Laia, and suddenly, she floats. There was a music of sort in the background, and her arms lifted itself in front of her and she held it up, as if praying in her sleeping position. Her eyes were close, and her hair swarmed around her like tendrils of fire licking at her skin. She is beautiful when she is covered in blood, like a warrior.

Kanda moves to save her from it and wakes her up, but Marian held him in check.

"Look at her," Marian said to him, and he stares at Laia. Another strange light surrounds her, and suddenly, all the blood and her wounds are gone. Her clothes are changed, and it became white and long and there are lace and crystals everywhere. Her hair becomes longer, and she became more beautiful.

"I believe she is adapting herself into her 7000 years old self…" Marian said to everyone, and everyone is surprised. Marian realizes it too late, and said to all of them, "Oh, and don't tell anyone about it. I will know who did it, and when I did, I will personally come and slice up your throat at night when you are asleep."

The light all gone out after a while, and she drops to the ground in a heap of white cloth and dress. Kanda lurched forward to save her, and ended up with her in his arms, nestled and safe from harm.

"She is sleeping…" Kanda said, noting the soft features of her smile and her face. There is a small blush on her fair cheeks, and he noted to himself that she has become more beautiful than ever.

"Yes, she is sleeping. Her soul is sleeping…" Marian said to Kanda, and Kanda looks up at him.

"How to make her wake up?" Kanda said to him, asking the master of Allen Walker. Marian is famed for being a womanizer, and he does not take up children or a student as well. He is stubborn, but at the same time, a general of his status is powerful. He is so powerful that one single bullet from his weapon of choice in Innocence could kill hoards of Akumas. He is that powerful.

"She will wake up when you kiss her, Kanda," Marian said to him, and smiles widely at the shocked asian man.

"Come on, kiss her…" Marian said to him, and encouraged him to do it. "If you don't kiss her, I doubt Tiedoll would let you off the hooks for not taking care of her well…"

With that, Kanda's eyes becomes large and wide with the annoyance and imagination of the old general coming at him, luring him to the Cafeteria with soba and other things as well.

"Come on, you can do it. It's just a kiss. Haven't you kissed before, boy?" Marian said to him, and he blushes in deep red color, the red spreading to his neck.

"What?!" Marian said, shocked to blasphemy. "You are a virgin kisser!?"

"Shut up! I'll do it! Just give me some time, you idiot!" Kanda said, hissing at the general. The general smiles and walks away, chuckling to himself.

Kanda slowly leans into Laia's face, staring at her beautiful sleeping form. Truly, Laia is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his whole life. So beautiful, and so sweet… and her lips are so inviting… oh no… he couldn't help it… oh dear… I'm going to kiss her… kiss her… yes… you can do it… you like her…

"What are you doing, BaKanda?" Allen said, appearing suddenly at his sides and staring at him, his mouth inches from Laia's lips.

"What!" Kanda said, surprised and leans away from Kanda.

Marian saw this and came after Allen. He hits him on his head and with that, Allen swings his arms at Kanda's head, forcing him to lean back forward and with that, the deed is done.

His lips is planted directly on Laia's lips.

Her lips are so soft, and so sweet, and in that short moment, everyone stares at him with a scandalous look on their face.

"Laia-san!" Lenalee called from behind, appearing so shocked that she had no other words to say. "Laia-san! Kanda! Release her at once!"

Kanda leans back, and allows Lenalee to pull Laia back into the player's room. He is so surprised that he is at the loss of words.

"You did it boy! Hahaha! Gotta grab the opportunity when you have it, yeah?" Marian said to him, so proud of the boy that he patted his back hard. Kanda, angrily, reaches for his Mugen.

Only to come up with a burlap bag with the remains of his swords inside.

"My stupid sword…" Kanda said, staring at the bag sadly. Marian made a face at him, and he is defeated.

"Shit!" Kanda curses, and walks away, lean on a nearby window.

"Oi! Old man, when are you gonna let us all out!?" Kanda shouted angrily, and Allen looks back with a death stare at him.

"Shut up, BaKanda!" Allen said to him, snapping at the older Asian man.

With that, Allen plays a simple note, and a door opens. Everyone went out with some tears in their eyes, hugging all those exorcists outside waiting for their safe return. They are all safe, and they all cried tears of happiness.

Kanda stood behind them all, watching them with a strange expression on his face. He turns back, looking at Laia. He'd better be there to watch over her. She is afraid that when she wakes up, no one would be by her side. It is something that she is most afraid of in the whole wide world. Turning around, he ignores General Tiedoll's callings and went back into the ark to pull Chaoji out of the ark.

"Your new student!" Kanda calls, and drops Chaoji out on the sands. He himself went back in, and sat beside Laia. He has kissed her. And he kissed her good. Her chest heaved up and down slowly, as if she is in a coma, sleeping peacefully with a small smile on her face. He held her hand, and grips it tightly in his.

"Wake up…" Kanda said to her, whispering to her. "Wake up… We are all waiting for you here. You don't have to be afraid to wake up anymore. You are not alone. We are all here for you…"


	8. The High Priestess, The Heart Apostle

**Chapter 8**

**The High Priestess, Heart Apostle General**

The alarm sounded one morning and everyone was sent into a panic mode. Someone had came into the protective barrier of the Black Order, and that someone is either an Akuma or a Noah.

"Laia!" Kanda called, banging the door to her room open and came in and scoop her into his arms. "Get out of this room and get to the fight! Someone is intruding the Black Order!"

"What intrudes the Black Order? Noah? Or Akuma?" Laia asks, bouncing in Kanda's arms as he carried her through a flight of staircases.

"I don't know, but know this Laia. The entrance to the Lab has been closed off. None of us could penetrate it with everything and all the power we have. There is the gateway however, and we will put you through there and save the researchers. You are one of the lesser ones who could fight a Level 3 Akuma on par and you are one of our only hopes of ever salvaging what is left of all the Exorcists and Black Order. Moyashi is inside already, so be safe, and come back. We will all be waiting. Be our new hope, Laia! You are the Heart! Be our new hope!"

"It's Allen, Yuu!" Laia said to him, angry that he always uses that nickname to call Allen. Kanda smirks and with that, Kanda hurled Laia into the open gates and she screams, her last sight being Kanda and she screams at him in a shrill shocked voice at being hurled suddenly into the air, who stares at her with a victorious smile, encouraging her to win the war alongside their fighting comrades.

"For us, Laia, fight!" Kanda said, and with that, he ran to the other door and enters it, grabbing whatever weapon that he could reach with his hands.

Laia saw a nightmare upon entering the gate with a crash. All of the scientists are being caught and one by one, examined and destroyed if they are useless by blowing up their heads. Laia's tears fell, and her Innocence's activated, covering her in a luminous glow of power.

"Now, let's see who has a nice brain here?" the Earl's minions marked another 'X' on a researcher, and his head is blown up after he moves away from the researcher.

"Alright! Next one," the Earl's minions said happily, moving onto the next one and examining their brains.

"The Plant Egg!" Laia exclaims silently, staring as Lulubell aims to submerge the Egg into another gate. In a fit of moment, Laia summons her powers and before she could do so, Bookman came spiraling in front of her and called his Innocence.

"Heaven Compass!" he exclaims, and needles erupted around the Akumas, killing them with a blast.

"Did I make it?" the old man said, his body slowly turning into stone, which had protected Allen with his Innocence. "It seems that I have been affected by the Akuma's ability… This is the end, I can't move…"

Upon seeing this, Laia uses her Innocences to kill all the Akumas surrounding Allen and the old man. Moments later, all the Akumas erupted and lied down in a pile, appearing to be dead.

Laia rushes to save the researches, but in the rush to save them, three Level 3 akumas surrounded her, all with their weapons on her neck.

"Kill the remaining person," Lulubell said to the akumas, who submerged her into the gate with the Egg.

Before they could do so, a talisman is erupted before the remaining exorcists, saving them from the onslaught of the akumas attack.

"A talisman!?" one akuma said, angry that someone had ruined his great business with the exorcists.

"You'd think we'd just let you take them?!" Bak said angrily, shining the talisman at the akumas and blocking their attacks, rendering them useless in a way.

"Time Record! Activate!" Miranda exclaims, bringing the Plant Egg back from being submerged. The rest of the Exorcists and Generals arrived in time to save the rest of the Researchers.

"It feels pretty good riding the Arc, huh?" one of the Generals said. "Let's hear how you intend to escape, akumas!"

"Effigy of Eden! Embracing Garden!"General Tiedoll exclaims, a garden of silver roses erupted from his staff and covers the researchers in a safe embracing garden.

Kanda came out of nowhere and slashed on some chains and saves Chaoji's life. Throwing the brittle weapon away, Kanda mumbles, "Che! Useless weapons…"

It was then everyone heard Lulubell screams, "DAMN YOU! ALLEN WALKER!"

Out of nowhere, a loud crying sound sounded through the lab. Everyone had to close their eyes and ears due to the loud crying noise that hurts their ears.

"I'm Level Fouuuuur!" one little baby akuma said. Everyone stares at it with fearful eyes, knowing that it was an evolved akuma.

For 100 years, the Bookmen have logged everything about the war between akuma and the Black Order. Even in 100 years of records, the final form of akuma is still unknown and only evolutions of up to number 3 have been confirmed. In other words, now, in this instant, for the Bookman, this is our first contact with a Level 4.

Laia looked around the ruined domain. It was all in a mess, and smokes and steams were rising from the grounds in random places, suggesting that a gas pipe might have been damaged, and leaking toxic around the places. She is greatly saddened by the attack, feeling extremely guilty for the amount of dying exorcist and finders and the people living within the walls of the Black Order's Headquarters. The Noah's attack could partly be her fault, for both living and fighting for humankind, the race that has once abandoned and sold her soul to the devil. She was supposed to help the Noahs achieving their dreams, and yet here she was, defending the kind that has betrayed her. She stood her ground, and in return for that, she is abandoned by both races, Noahs and Humankind alike, being a mix of both races but belonging to neither one. To atone for that, she herself needs to sacrifice what's left of her soul.

_Winter winds have gone and faded_

_I told the skies of thoughts of gray_

And to do that, she must be prepared to die.

Turning around, Laia observed the tired and badly injured Kanda Yuu. Such a beautiful man with such an agonizing past and origins. She knew what it was to be like him, for she herself were once experimental subjects for the Earl of Millennium. The results were marvelous, with her gaining several powerful mind powers apart from her original power, telekinesis, and yet, at the same time, he had successfully made her feel like less of a human. She's no longer a full, normal human being. She cannot bear to live a life like that, and yet, to take her own life away would means that she is ungrateful for the life her adopted pianist brother, the 14th, had saved and salvaged from her own kind. The only way to repay her debt towards the kind musician is to protect what he wanted to protect from the start; the humankind, the Black Order, and the ones she loves.

Placing both palms on his face, Laia kisses his lips softly, remembering the feeling of his warm lips and his taste. Possibly, this could be her last kiss to him, and possibly, this could be the last time she could touch or see him.

_Tears upon my pillow laying_

_A child lost to pain_

_I pray for better days_

Kanda's eyes widened in surprise; his first instinct is to push her away, but he finds his current situation sadly pitiful, unable to move any of his limbs due to numbness. She had always acted recklessly, regardless of the outcome and stubbornly stayed on her decision, but this time, this kiss felt like a goodbye kiss, and it send his heart on a skip. _Could it be…_he thought. _She couldn't possibly thought about doing that?_

Breaking away, her eyes greeted his, and she immediately regretted her decision of looking into his eyes. The look in his eyes purely reflected shock and surprise, and she knew he knew what she is going to do.

Knowing that it is useless to try and talk him to it just by judging the power he had poured with all his might to make her stay; gripping her hand as tightly as his numbed limbs allowed, she leaned in once more.

"Stay safe," she whispered to him by his ear, fighting back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes, "and I love you."

Turning her eyes away from his, she strode away from Kanda, struggling to not look back or turn around when he called her. She had made her decision, and she's going to held onto that even if her life is on the stake. She is going to put her life onto the gamble, and this is possibly the last.

"INNOCENCES!" Laia exclaimed as loudly as she could towards Hevlaska admits the loud sounds of weapons clashing against each other. "I SUMMONE YOU AS YOUR LADY! GIVE ME LIFE!"

_Lift me up_

_Lead me from this place_

_Let your love be mercy on my face_

A burst of light came from under Laia's feet, and all the Innocence's that has been collected and safely stored within Hevlaska spiraled around her, her hair dances in unseen wind and raw power from the Innocence. The Innocence's lifted her from her feet, transforming her current Innocence's into something more powerful. Throwing one of her hand into the air, Laia whispered softly, palming a particularly bright Innocence, a tear escaping from her eyelids before the Innocence's light enveloped her completely. "Let me protect the others..."

_Rising up, I changed before your eyes_

_Out of darkness, standing __**in the light**_

Kanda stared as he witnesses the evolvement of Laia Elfreya; he could feel the raw power emanating from her. It was so raw and so powerful. He could practically feel his skin ripping from his face by the sheer brute wind of the power. If he was a normal human being, he could have long died.

All the other Exorcists felt a rise in their own Innocence power, feeling it growing to a degree and feeling the fullness of the power enveloping them for unknown reasons. Their Innocence glows with a brightness never before seen, and shines radiantly like the moon and stars.

And of hope.

A bright white staff appears in her hand, and she hits the ground with the staff, forming a loud booming sound that thunders in Hevlaska's domain. A silvery white rose grows out of nowhere beside injured people and Exorcists alike, and begun to emit a strange lily like scent that no one had ever smelled it before. It emits pollen of sort that glows and enters the Exorcists and injured people's wounds, healing them before their very eyes.

_Heaven hoped you'd come and change me_

_Out of that, just make me whole_

_Lift me up and recreate me_

Then, he suddenly felt lighter. Strangely rejuvenated, he looked down to his injuries and found them gone, as if there are no wounds to begin with. Laia had healed him with her Innocence.

The white light suddenly ceased to exist, leaving the residual power to slowly set Laia back to her feet. She is now completely covered with a soft glow of white light, and within both of her hands she held a long sword that is completely white, its hilt hung a crystal bell that ringed constantly with the amount of akumas around. There was a silver-hair like diadem on her forehead, and a white mirror mask that seemed to reflect the presence of the akumas. Her long hair danced around her like tendrils of fire licking her skin, the spirals of Innocence's returned to Hevlaska.

Lullubell swished her hideous sword-like arm around, trying to slash the hopping Exorcist. She laughed out loud in their vain attempts to escape her.

"You will die, Exorcist! Especially you, Allen Walker!" she screeched loudly, eyes widened madly.

_And help me overcome myself_

_Lead me from hell_

Giving Kanda a last glance, Laia run towards the edge of the railings and hurled herself into the air, seemingly falling through such a high and suddenly somersaulting once before spiraling upward in a silvery white flash, defying gravity and kicked Lulubell from the railing, upsetting her balance.

_Lift me up_

_Lead me from this place_

_Let your love be mercy on my face_

_Rising up, I changed before your eyes_

_Out of darkness, standing __**in the light**_

Lenalee and Allen were surprised by the sudden appearance of someone masked in a white mask, which could float and fly at will and the white mask's surface reflected Lulubell's true form occasionally, giving the mask a pearl-like sheen. The masked figure briefly turned its head towards them, giving them a polite node and in a wave of her hand; she had jumped from the unstable railing, bulleting fast towards the falling Noah, leaving a trail of silvery white comet behind her.

Both of the exhausted Exorcists did not notice that their wounds have healed completely due to Laia's one wave of her hand.

Falling through the air, the Noah shape shifted into something else that looked more hideous than her previous appearance. She seemed to vomit a pile of sticky strings, sending it spiraling into the air before a second later, Laia came to slash it, it's useless and shortened tendrils falling right back into her face. The Noah couldn't remember ever seeing an Exorcist with a full mask on, jumping into conclusion that she might be a new one.

A new exorcist fighting on par with a Noah at General's level… no… more than a General's Level… the legendary and mythical highest and most powerful status an apostle could reach… the High Priestess Queen, also known as the Heart Apostle General…

Bringing one of her twin swords down, the masked Exorcist's attack is blocked by Lulubell's hardened arm, not realizing that the other sword is diving right into her abdomen. The Noah screeched in pain before she knocked the masked figure towards a wall. The masked figure stopped inches before she could hit the wall with her ability of flight and spiraled directly back towards the Noah, stopping one of her rising arm's movement with her mind power with one glance and slashed at her mercilessly.

Lulubell is surprised that this particular Exorcist's weapon could wound her so deeply and hideously. Before, the other Exorcist's including the Generals have not been able to hit her when she is in liquid form, and yet, this sword, which does not differs between the other Exorcist's weapons, have been able to hit her. The sword, upon coming into contact with her, burns her up and practically melts her strange skin in her new form. It was like acid, and it hurts.

That is when she finally knew that this Exorcist is something that would endanger the Noah's clan.

She caught the masked figure's eyes when it dived straight towards her; it was a pearly sheen, as if her eyes were mirrors instead of normal pupils. She saw herself within her eyes, and the worse is that she saw her true form reflecting back the exorcist's mirror-like mask. Angered by being forced to stare into her hideous true form, Lulubell screams at her and attacks her.

The masked figure slashed at Lulubell, who had no ways to protect herself from the fall and the onslaught of the poisonous Innocence's attack. Throwing her left arm in the air, the masked figure's hand wrapped around the instant appearance of Allen's abandoned sword. The sword seemed to know who she is, and in response, formed a large glowing ball of Innocence power, something that Allen Walker had not had the chance to learn and do. Slashing the sword down away from her body, the masked figure sends the ball of destructive power towards Lulubell, who could do nothing to stop it.

_I'm rising up, I'm moving on_

_Give me strength to carry on_

_I feel the light upon my face_

_I hear the angels' words of grace_

_My broken wings will never fly_

_Lift me up and justify_

_I'm standing up, I'm standing out_

_I feel the warmth come crashing down_

The Noah's scream echoed in the vast space of Hevlaska's Domain when the power finally hit her, a large gust of wind erupted from where the Noah had fallen deep within.

The masked figure seemed to know that the sword in her hand belonged to whom, as she threw it right at Allen's direction, which barely caught it in his hand before it slammed into the wall.

_Lift me up_

_Lead me from this place_

_Let your love be mercy on my face_

_Rising up, I've changed before your eyes_

_Out of darkness, standing __**in the light**_

Throwing both of her swords into the air, it glowed the familiar whiteness of the Innocence's light and merged into one, forming a staff with a swirling silver crystal, akin to the silver crystal ball that hung from the end of the hilt of her sword. The masked figure caught the silver staff in her hands and with a hop, dives right back to the bottom of Hevlaska's domain. Reaching the rubbles where it buried Lulubell, the masked figure summoned a wave of throne silver roses with her silvery-white staff, where it pierced where the Noah is lying and proceeded to suck up the blood of the Noah, turning the roses blood red. The Noah screamed for the last time before all is quiet. It was the one way to ensure the death of a Noah.

"Is that… Laia-san?" Lenalee said, curious with the new outer appearance of what seems obviously is an exorcist. Allen nodded his head.

"It is her. I can feel it. Did she increase her synchro rate by will with Hevlaska's remaining Innocences?" Allen asked, and Lenalee shakes her head.

"I don't know…" Lenalee said. "I don't even know that an exorcist can do this… and she seems to be standing in the light. Look at her, she is glowing!"

"She is not just an exorcist Lenalee. You've forgotten haven't you? She is the Heart. Our Heart. The one who shall fight with me to defeat the Earl of Millennium…" Allen said to her and both starts as she starts to float slowly down to the ground, her light feet touching the ground once more.

Her outer appearance faded out, and all of her Innocence coat fell off in chipped pieces of glowing pieces. On closer inspection, they realize that they are in fact large scales that have the texture of a shellfish with mother of pearl sheen around them.

"Laia!" Allen calls her, and went up to her. When she saw him, she closes her eyes and let's herself fell back. Allen barely had time to catch her in his arms before she hits the floor. "Laia!"

"Laia-san?" Lenalee called her, trying to wake her up. It would seems that after her rapid transformation, she has become tired, and falls asleep on first opportunity to regain her strength. Kanda and the rest came up to her.

"Let me carry her," Kanda started, pushing Allen out of the way.

"Hey!" Allen chided him. "I got here first!"

"She's mine!" Kanda said to him angrily, and hisses at anyone who tries to come closer. "She is mine!"

"It's not like nobody knows about it, duh?" Lavi said, mumbling to himself quietly.

With that, the war with Lulubell is over. Allen went over to cry for his lost friend, and the rest collapses onto the ground, fast asleep with fatigue overtaking them. The rest of the generals lets go of their power, and they went back to take a long bath and rest.


	9. The Ice

**Chapter 9**

**The Ice**

"I thought we are not supposed to talk to each other," said Laia coldly, her dead-looking eyes somehow stirring up sleeping flames within Kanda. Damn it, he couldn't control his emotions around her…

Before he could open his mouth, Lavi flew by and slung an arm around Kanda's shoulders, grinning his idiotic grin.

"Laia-chan! We need your help with a mission!" he exclaimed loudly, taking utmost care in shouting as close to Kanda's ears as possible.

Mugen barely grazed his neck, but Lavi was in no fear. No, not with Allen here. The British boy had practically clung to Kanda's sword arm and prevented him from slicing Lavi's neck in a clean cut. Ah, how he loved being in control.

"If you're bothering me just for a useless drama like this, I'd say you go to another place. You're giving me a headache," said Laia coldly, swinging the door shut.

Lucky for Lavi and his brains, he had wedged a boot-clad feet between Laia's doorway to her room and to the hallway. He shivered for a slight moment when he saw Laia's eyebrow furrowed a little, which means she's angry.

Nobody makes Laia angry. Not unless they wants to be trapped in an indestructible Innocence-made box of swirling, flammable and surrounded with exploding dust of Innocence dust. Strange to say, nobody seems to want to say that her Innocence is strangely and eerily akin to the powers of what Road Kamelot has.

"Well, nobody knows how to skate on ice, much less performing a dance on top of an ice skating ring. You're good at dancing, Laia-chan, so we'd figured that you'd like to come along with us?" said Lavi, eyebrows bouncing with excitement.

Madarao stepped in.

"I'm afraid that particular order is not yours to offer, Lord Exorcists," the Third Exorcist said in a monotone voice. "Lady Laia has been placed under orders of strict surveillance by Inspector Leverrier, and it is to be carried out by me. She is not to leave her room without a guard and without valid reasons."

The loud noises of veins popping on each male Exorcist's head used to be able to make Laia laugh, but she remained as cold and stony as her expression is when it happened.

Lavi rolled his eyes off angrily. "She's the only one who could help us with retrieving the Innocence, dammit! The old ghost had said that he will only hand the Innocence over to us if an Exorcist is able to perform a dance on an ice skating ring! If Laia-chan's there, then it'll be as easy as peanuts!"

"We've each tried to dance on the ice, but all we're able to do is fall on our butts. The worst cases here is Kanda, who only managed to slip and kiss the ice instead of actually standing on the ice-"

"Shut your mouth, Moyashi!"

"It's Allen, BaKanda!"

"Mou! You guys again! Stop it will you?" said Lenalee, a frown on her forehead. Stepping forward when they both didn't listen to her advice, Lenalee held both of Laia's hand and squeezed them slightly, a desperate look on her face.

"Laia-chan," she started, her voice held a tinge of desperado. "We really need that Innocence. The Earl's minions are on the move and anytime soon that Innocence is going to get into his hands. We need to retrieve it as fast as we could."

Laia had a troubled look on her face. She couldn't possibly reject Lenalee. Lenalee is once her best girl friends. She didn't want her to be far from her, and be afraid of her as well. Lenalee and Allen and Lavi are the only ones who did not question her status and her current affairs with the 14th as his adopted sister. They did not seem to mind her past. For that, she is grateful.

And she will repay their kindness with anything that she could do if they were to ask her to do it…

"Where is the place?" Laia asks, and immediately, Lavi hopped around in his place like a rabbit while Allen smiles brightly at her. Lenalee hugged her out of gratitude and squealed happily.

"Oh, thank you, Laia-chan! Thank you so much!" Lenalee said to her, and Laia had no idea what to react but to put her hands on her back and patted them gently.

They brought her to a far away place. There is a small tomb there by the sides of the iced lake. Nobody went there to skate anymore. They said that the iced lake would drag anyone down who couldn't skate well or slipped on accident. For that, they are afraid of the lake.

They have said that the lake is cursed.

"I have come to dance on the ice," Laia said to the tomb, giving it a low bow. "Please be my audience. I shall give you the performance never before seen by human eyes in this Era."

Laia stepped onto the ice with her skating shoes, which is beautiful silver and the many-edged stars, the White Rose Cross, known widely around the world to be the symbol of the Church and of the Black Order, is embedded by the side of the shoes. She loved the shoes, but knew she could only wear it once. She wanted to remember every moment of this when she still has what little freedom is left for her. She wanted to remember the exorcist's faces well, and at the same time, she wanted to forget them and just be someone who has only a code name and the position as a test subject. She knew why she does all this. She knew why she avoided him and his dark blue gazes. She knew.

And she confidently takes a deep breath as the music starts hauntingly, letting herself go into a straight line towards the center of the frozen skating ring. Turning around, she stood up straight and stared at the ground.

Until the music hit a point, and she started to dance.

_ai lima tasmiya_

_iyadi rai hoyasma_

_ai lima terasmiya_

_iyai mai yola aa_

Moving her left arm into the air, followed by the other, Laia gave a very low bow to the spirit of the Innocence, where only one other known Exorcist is able to see it; Allen Walker.

Turning around, Laia bended her knees slightly and spinned once very slowly, coming to a halt right back at the same place where she had first stood.

_ai lima tasmiya_

_iyadi yai hoyasma_

_ai lima tasmiya_

_iyai mai yola_

_maje laiyo omaho soladi aiyo lama_

_maje laiyo omaho soladi aiyo maya_

_ai lima tasmiya_

_iyadi yai hoyasma_

_ai lima tasmiya_

_iyadi mai yola aa_

Spinning around once again in an agonizingly slow motion, Laia put up both of her arms into the air, her face facing the grey sky that is threatening to spill its snow-filled clouds to earth. From where the Exorcist's stand, it is as if Laia is preying to the sky, her God somewhere within the snow-filled clouds.

That is, until the spirit shouted at her.

"That's so slow!" the spirited cursed her loudly, one hand pointing rudely at her. "Do a faster one that could make men excited!"

"Hey!" Allen suddenly shouted, angry at what the spirit had spew from its transparent mouth. "Watch what you're saying!"

"Allen-kun," Lenalee started, patting his arms comfortingly. "You'll disturb Laia-san."

"But the spirit just insulted her!" Allen defended, pointing at the spirit. For once, he is so angry that he felt the innocence is not worth Laia's time and performence. All the Exorcist hadn't seen her for quite a while, and she had lose a lot of weight, and yet still retained her beauty. He felt sorry for Laia. What the Order had done to her, nobody would ever know. It is really up to her to open up to them soon.

And as if on cue, the song came into the part where there is a little Indian mix to it. Laia danced according to the rhythm, shaking her hip and belly accordingly, a wide grin on her face, grinning at the Innocence, who looked more shocked than anything else.

Then she started to skate.

_ai lima tasmiya iyasma…_

_ai nima kasmiya imaya…_

_maje laiyo omaho solari iayo lama_

_maje laiyo omaho solari iayo maya…_

_ai nima tasmiya iyasma_

It was as if she were flying; one leg in the air whiles the other skated straight. Once, she turned around with one leg in the air, staring up into the sky, her long hair danced around with her. She looked so happy to be able to dance again, and while she has the chance, she'll use every moment of her freedom to fulfill her desires.

_maje aiyama soladi lama_

_maje aiyomo solari lama…_

_yei mirayi kosa medi_

_yei mirayi lasa medi_

_nei irai lasa medi_

_diya (miya diya…)_

_ai nima tasmiya_

_iyadi rai hoyasma_

_ai nima tasmiya_

_iyai…_

She skated around the ring for a few rounds, doing dangerous yet beautiful turns and movements in the air, sending most of the Exorcist's jaws drop slack. They knew she could skate, but they didn't knew that she could skate this well.

"Wow," Lavi said, blowing a tune of whistle at the sight of Laia skiing on the ice. "She's good..."

"Really good..." Allen's reply rhymed with Lavi's surprise.

Then, nearing the ending of the music, Laia came back to the center of the skating ring and slammed her heel into the ice, breaking and cracking it a little. Keeping her legs straight, Laia moved her arms and torsos fluidly, her body bending softly and skillfully. Smiling to the spirit innocence, Laia stepped back according to the beats of the music, almost coming into contact with the person standing directly behind her, facing her; Kanda Yuu.

There was such a coincidence that the center of the skating ring just happened to be the spot Kanda Yuu chooses to stand as a spectacle. He never knew that nearing the end of Laia's wonderful performance, both she and he himself would be standing so close for a second before she took off again.

Her hair brushed Kanda's chest accidentally. She knew she couldn't move backward again as she felt that there was someone behind her. She knew she had the spirit's interest and full attention, and thus did not turn back and see who it was that stood behind her.

The music took another turn again and this time, she slammed her other heel into the ice and skated forward fast, surely and confidently, she came to the corner of the ice skating ring where the water had constantly flowed into the ring, making the ice that froze by the skating ring curved slightly. Moving forward forcefully, Laia skate right into the curved ice and soared into the air, face facing the sky. Turning herself around gracefully in the air, Laia came back down to the ice skating ring with another slam of her heels into the ice, her legs straight and a wide, happy smile on her face, knowing that she had succeeded in giving the spirit the best performance that money couldn't buy. Both arms spread out side beside her, Laia spins herself around and pirouted a few times, turning around with a speed and sending herself flying into the air again, spinning in the air for three times before landing back to the ice. Lifting her left leg, she jumped and turned left, and when she landed she jumped again with her left leg in the air and landed again, and jumps again and again. Then abruptly, the music stops.

And Laia's dance came to a halt.

Everyone was silent with awe. Even Link is silent, and watches Laia holds her position well and perfect. It was so beautiful, and he couldn't help but to start to applaud.

Then slowly, everyone applauded. They whistle, and even Kanda gave her a perfect clap. The performance is so wonderful and perfect that they gave her the applause of her lifetime. And for once, after the miserable time of her life, Laia smiles and bows to them.

"You've earned it, pitiful yet beautiful exorcist," said the spirit with its transparent body glowed in the early twilight, a happy smile on its face. "I'm happy I've given my precious thing to someone like you."

"Rest in peace, Albert," whispered Laia to the spirit, "And thank you for everything."


	10. The Power of the Golden Innocence

**Chapter 10**

**The Power of the Golden Innocence**

There were so many akuma flying around him. Laia and Kanda have been tasked to go to Switzerland and pick up Innocence there. They are to reach there as soon as possible so that the Noahs would not start on them and destroy the Innocence. Laia had leaded the way, and Kanda was to follow him. He trusted her instinct, and knew that she is leading the right road because 10 out of 10 times, she had been right on her instinct.

He liked people with instinct. It at least allows him to live another miserable day.

Then, the akumas came in out of nowhere. They had no time to hide, and started an all out war with them. They kept on coming, and they had been bombed, shoot, sliced, and all sorts of way with Laia's multi changeable Innocence weapon. It was useful, but it did not help in decreasing the rapidly increasing amount of akuma.

Then he heard a scream. He slices the akuma in front of him and quickly tries to get to Laia. But he is blocked again and again by another akuma. Laia screams again, and this time, he panicked.

"Nigentou!" Kanda activated his Mugen into its second level power. The akumas in front of him is destroyed in a second in a large blast of power and dust, and Kanda quickly flew through it and saw…

He saw a figure lying on a pool of blood. He'd recognize that hair anywhere he goes, and that pair of gold and silver bangles pulling back the twin silver chokuto slowly into the moonstone gateway had him hurriedly ran towards her. He had heard it from her, when she is sleeping or fainted, the weapons would get back into its gateway. Its specialty is that way, so as to not get used by Akuma or other non apostle people. It is a dangerous weapon, and only Laia or Kanda could wield it, seeing as Kanda is also a sword holding user and an apostle as well.

Turning her over slowly, he is overcome by her bleeding abdomen and her tattered clothes, seemingly sliced away along with her skin. Her wounds appeared almost as if someone had skinned part of her abdomen's skin. Tearing her clothes away, he found the source of the bleed and stemmed its flow with the same clothes he had torn away from her body.

"Laia, don't you dare die on me," Kanda said angrily, slapping her face, trying desperately to wake her up. She had once told him that she could only heal herself when she is awake, and that if she happens to sustain any injury while she is fainted or sleeping, she could very well bleed to death since she has a rather unique blood disorder. That unique blood disorder causes her to be unable to donate blood, and also causes her to be unable to receive any blood from anyone at all. Nobody seems to have her blood group, and whenever one tries to insert their own blood into her veins, she would convulse. He has seen it once, and she suffers from it very painfully.

"Don't you dare die on me, Laia! You gave me your word you won't die until the war ends!"

When her blood continues to flow profusely even with his efforts to stem its flow and wakes her up, Kanda gritted his teeth and closes his eyes, knowing that he had no more choices but to do so. With his teeth, Kanda forcefully tears the vein of blood on his wrist and puts the bleeding wound into her mouth.

"Drink it!" Kanda called out. "Drink it and wake up!"

He watches as his blood flows out uselessly down her cheek. Deciding that this way would be useless, he promptly bites down hard on his tongue and kisses her deeply, feeding her blood that bleeds directly from his mouth.

Slowly, he felt her licks his lips for more blood. He knew she is soon to be awakening, and he held the back of her head. It had been a while since he kisses her. The first time is when he gave her life oxygen under the water through his lips, kissing her softly and transferring the oxygen to her mouth. He had felt that her lips are soft and warm then, even with the icy cold water surrounding them. Now that they are kissing on the surface, he felt that it is like kissing someone he loves...

Someone he loves…

"I love you…" Kanda said to her, appearing to be surprised himself. She awakens, and her eyes fluttered softly.

"What…?" She mumbles, her eyelids threatening to close again.

"I said… I love you, Laia Elfreya… so don't you dare to die on me and leave me here alone while you go up to heaven…" Kanda said to her, and with that, he kisses her again. This time, Laia responded to his kiss softly and shyly.

"Yuu…" Laia called him. "I never knew one day you would tell me this with your own mouth… because I have loved you for so long… so long… until now…" she said to him. With that, she passes out peacefully, slumbering into his arms.

The akumas came at them, and Kanda braces for the impact they are going to inflict on them. They would explode, and they would die. No, Kanda couldn't die. He is the Second Exorcist project. He couldn't die. He could survive even though he has been reduced to a drop of blood. He could reform, but what about Laia? She would die…

She would die…

Die…

Die…

And leave him alone…

"No…" Kanda mumbles, holding her close to him. If he were to fight them, he would expose Laia to their blast. They were too close… too close…

Too close…

Suddenly, Laia's hand shoots up into the sky. There was a sudden light that came out from her Innocence moonstone, and a strange golden net came out of her moonstone, weaving a net of safety ball around them. There was a strange musical sound accompanying the net, and it sounded like bells ringing. She is asleep, and yet her Innocence is working against her will.

"It's protecting us…?" Kanda said to himself, watching in awe as Laia's Innocence forms a huge barrier surrounding them, and the Akuma were destroyed upon touching the golden glowing net. It was a magnificent sight to behold, and the net gave out drops of golden liquid. Upon receiving it on his wounds, it heals immediately in a golden glow…

"This is…?!" Kanda mumbles to himself, and watches as Laia continues to slumber on. He realizes that the Innocence is acting against her will and her power and protects the both of them with its absolute power. What kind of Innocence could protect its accommodator with such powerful barrier that the akuma couldn't even penetrate?

All Innocence is unable to react this way, apart from Allen's Innocence… but his is not as magically powerful as Laia's Innocence. It all seems too good to be true. She being all powerful, and gains her powers again and again on each battle. She becomes more powerful, and her hair becomes longer faster as well. She grows too fast, be it her power or her aging process.

Only the rumored Heart is able to react this way. It protects the accommodator, because it needs the accommodator to defeat the Earl of Millennium. With the Heart, all of their synchro rate could be activated and increased at will. They could all be generals, and all the empty Innocence and the Innocence without an accommodator could be found easily as well. They would no longer need to be afraid of the Earl. Innocence could be found anywhere, and she could even forge back the lost Innocence.

If she is the Heart… if she is the Heart…

If she is the Heart…

The Heart…?

Could it be…?

Laia Elfreya is the Heart!?

"Laia…?" Kanda calls her, touching her face. "Laia?" He calls again, stroking her face and wipes the drop of golden liquid onto her wounds, healing them in the blink of an eye in a golden glow of light. "Are you what I thought you are? Are you the Heart? Laia? Wake up please… tell me…"

But she did not wake up. The golden net of barrier continues to protect them perfectly well. Kanda is bringing her back to the house, and while he took her into his arms, the barrier surrounded them perfectly, and slowly, Kanda starts to feel that he is floating.

The net barrier brought him back to the small house they are staying. Once they landed safely and softly on the ground, it goes back to the moonstone obediently, and slides back without a trace. With that, the golden barrier stopped surrounding them with its protective barrier. The akuma is all destroyed, and they are safe once more.

"Laia? We are home. We are safe now. Please wake up… explain to me… are you hiding the fact that you are the heart to me?" Kanda asks, patting her small cheeks softly in an effort to wake her up.

She continues to slumber on. Her sudden gain of the new power makes her fatigue more serious. Kanda did not disturb her afterwards.

Kanda ponders the reaction of her Innocence towards protecting them. He watch the scene back on his golum, replaying the scene again and again when her Innocence seems to glow and shoots up into the sky with her hand that is wearing them as bangles. Then he noticed something

He paused, and rewinds the scene. He plays it and heard the sound, clear as a bell. There is a strange water and bell like sound emanating from her moonstone Innocence, and when it did, it glows brightly before shoots up into the sky with her hand while she is still fast asleep in his arms.

"So the Innocence truly did protect us…" Kanda said to himself, watching the scene unfolding in front of him.

He sends a private copy to Komui, and hopes that he could discern the myth and the questions behind whether she is the true Heart or not. He believes it is so, because unlike the others, Mugen reacts to her as if she is him, and does not rebel against her touch. He has seen it once, and she did it easily with ease. It is rare for someone to be able to touch the violent Mugen this easily, but she touches it with her gentle fingers so smoothly. Nothing happened. And he is amazed.

The moment her fingers come into contact with Mugen, the violent weapon of the Innocence calms down and becomes quiet. Usually, it would prod and push inside Kanda's mind, thus the use of meditations. He needs it to focus. The Innocence would interrupt him and pleads for him to go to war, fight all the akuma and kill all of them. He did not expect that someone so fragile like Laia would be able to touch it so fearlessly.

And so harmlessly as well.

"Kanda…?" Komui's voice echoed from the golum.

"Yeah. I'm here…" Kanda replies, and Komui begun to tell him of his discoveries.

"She might just be the Heart. Escort her back. I need to see her Innocence. It is truly strange and a miracle for an Innocence to protect its accommodator with those kind of powers, and a golden net at that that heals your wounds. It is such a feat to accomplish to be able to be such in sync with the Innocence. No one has ever live to tell the tale, apart from her…"

Kanda shuts off his golem and walks towards Laia. They did not have many things to carry, seeing as they constantly wore their Exorcist outfit that serves to be a ticket to everywhere they are going. The Black Order is a powerful organization. No one dares to interfere or ask them what they are doing. They all knew that the Black Order is an order that helps people and humanity, and in thus, no one questions their doings.

Laia is still fast asleep, and he needed to escort her back as quickly as possible. If there is any harm or akuma again, her Innocence would protect them again. He fears not for her safety now. He knew that she is far better protected than he himself is with his Mugen. He doubts his Mugen would protect him like the Innocence did to her.

He kicked the bed, but she did not stir. She remains fast asleep.

"Wake up, oi!" Kanda calls, not knowing how to wake her up from her apparent deep slumber. Not once did she stir or move. But he knew that she is alive and well. Just sleeping.

Just sleeping.

Without another thought, Kanda clicked his tongue and heaved a long sigh before he decided to lift her up into his arms and carry her to the train station. It's not far from the little inn they are staying at, and it would be peanuts to carry her. Her Innocence gave a small tingle of bell-like resonance at the close proximity Mugen and her Innocence is causing.

Like a wedding bell sound.


	11. Encoding the Heart Apostle General

**Chapter 11**

**Encoding the Heart Apostle General**

They came in the night. They barged into the room and dragged Laia away, who has just finished dressing herself in a long white flowing gown. She had wanted to go somewhere with Kanda, and did not have the chance to scream for help before they binds her mouth with sealing yellow talisman paper.

Kanda came along soon afterward. He did not realize that she is being dragged off to the lab. All he knew is that she is not in her room, and that stupid scent.

That evil scent.

He'd recognize it anywhere.

It was the Crows.

He follows the scent, and on the way, he saw Lavi.

"They've taken her…" Kanda said gravely, and Lavi immediately knew what it was.

He alerted the rest of the Exorcist, and everyone came at his callings and runs to wherever that Kanda had followed the scent to. They arrived in a wide white place, and it reminds them sickeningly of the hospital grounds.

Especially to Kanda.

They saw Leverrier standing in the middle, and Laia being held captive by a few Crow members. She tries to use her Innocence against them to protect herself, but they have sealed her abilities to do so. She fought against them fiercely, and her hair swings all around her. It is growing, and it has finally reaches her ankle. The flowers that she has put into her hair dropped to the ground, crushed like her virginity.

"Let her go!" Allen calls, and everyone draws their weapons against the Crows. The Crows wanted to pull their talisman against them, but Leverrier halted them.

"Let her go?" Leverier said to them. "Do you have any idea who she is?" Leverier said, his eyes going into slits as he said his words. "She is the Heart. She cannot leave the Black Order. She must stay here, where we will protect her along with the other Innocence."

"You're making her a prisoner like what you made Hevlaska do 100 years ago!" Lavi exclaimed in fury, his angry eyes fixated upon Leverier, who stared at Laia's futile attempt to break through their grasps.

They ties her hand up in talisman papers, and with that, they threw her into a large glass empty tube. She pounded the glass and screams with her mouth sealed shut by the papers. She couldn't break free, and soon, water starts to fill the glass tube. The glass tube that encased her starts to seal off her mind powers and her Innocences, which renders her useless. Her Innocence glows weakly, and with a last bout of power, the Innocence's light went out. The monitor's read that her heart beat increased and that she is trying to break the seal surrounding her, angry that she is forced to witness the cruel things that Leverier forced her to see.

"In a way or two, yes," Leverier said passively, admiring Laia fighting tooth and nail inside the gradually filling tube. She is floating in the water, which gave the effect that she is glowing and bathed in silver light. "The Heart is too important to us, we cannot lose the Heart."

"But she is an Exorcist!" Allen exclaimed angrily. "She fights alongside with us! She's a human being for God's sake, not a lab rat!"

"But she is the Heart. If she goes out, there is a great chance that the Noahs will kill her. She will stay here until the day the war ends."

Bubbles escaped her mouth when she screams against the glass through her talisman wrapped mouth, catching everyone's attention. Hitting the glass repeatedly, her eyes gave a glint of hopeful look and continued to pound onto the glass with renewed vigor.

The Crows that restrained Lavi earlier released him suddenly; all clapping their hands together and forcefully, Laia's figure in the water is pushed back to the center of the glass tube, her expression bewildered.

Words flew out of the Crows clasped hands, magically snaking towards Laia's form in the water in a very sensual way. As they touch the glass tube, it suddenly becomes violent and pushed itself into the glass and through the water, immediately changing themselves into long yellow stripes of talisman-like papers with the black words turning red printing on the paper. Wrapping around Laia, the yellow paper restrained Laia's movement. Laia gave Lavi a last look of helplessness before her eyes and mouth is covered by the yellow paper, stilling her figure in the water.

"Laia Elfreya, the Exorcist who wields the Heart Innocence," said the Crows. "Code name from now on, the Heart Apostle General. Encoding. Loading. Loaded. Restrained. All movements and senses are reserved until further orders are given by the Vatican."

Helplessly, the rest of the Exorcist went out from the room. They remember just how Laia is being sealed into the tube with the talisman paper. It was a gory sight to behold. Now she just looks like a mummy that floats with all the powerful talisman holding her.

"She evolved," said Lavi in a matter-of-factly tone. "Yeah. So what? Allen and Lenalee had had their Innocence evolved to a higher level. Does that mean they are to be put into a jail too?"

"Her Innocence protected her-" Link said, following the small group.

"And so does Allen's and Lenalee's Innocence!" Lavi intercepted Link angrily, frustrated that the Inspector doesn't get his point. "Didn't you know that Innocences protect their host in a life-and-death situation?! Take Allen for an example. The Innocence knew that he's going to die unless it did something, and it did!"

"I know very well about that, Lavi Bookman." the Inspector said in a stern tone. "However similar Lenalee Lee, Allen Walker and Laia Elfreya's Innocence reacted, there is still a vast difference among Lenalee Lee's and Allen Walker's Innocence with Laia Elfreya if they were to be compared."

"What's the difference!?" Lavi exclaims.

Link sighs. "I am not supposed to tell you this, but she can communicate with her Innocences."

Everyone stopped moving and walking.

"What?" Lavi broke the silence.

"She had claimed that her Innocences speaks to her and often told her of any impending dangers, which is why she had so often warned us about the impending Noah's activities," Link explains to them.

"Impossible," Lavi said his eyes wide and his hands going to his hair. "There are no such records in all the histories of the Bookman-"

"And now there is. There is a high chance, possibly 99.9% of our confirmation that she is indeed the Heart, and will thus be placed under 24/7 surveillance. It is to keep her safe from harm, and to keep the victories on our side."

"You can't-" Lavi said…

"Laia Elfreya is just another Exorcist, albeit a little different from your lot. You should worry about the upcoming war with the Earl and focus on your practice instead of pondering frequently on this subject referring to Laia-sama. What's more, it's not like you could help her even if you knew about her bargain with Inspector Leverrier."

"A bargain..." Lavi said, mouthing the word in his mouth repeatedly. "Laia is making a bargain with Leverrier?!"

"You did not hear it from me…" Link said, and strode off to the office to get his work done.

The war came soon enough. But it is not the war they are waiting for. The Earl of Millenium came to the Black Order and wreaked havoc. A lot of people die, and most were turned into his minions. Many escaped, and many dies under the akuma's powers.

"The Heart! Oh, the Heart! We've found the Heart, Earl!" one of the disciples said to the Earl. The Earl hopped to the side of the tank and saw a girl floating inside. He did not feel any innocence inside, but he felt that she is important to the Black Order in some sort of ways.

"The Heart!?" the Earl called. "Oh! The Heart! Destroy it! We WILL win this war, Exorcist!"

Everyone was surprised when Tyki came in to protect the girl floating in the water tube. The Earl, most of all, is more surprised than anyone else.

"Isn't that..." the twins said to themselves, realizing that she is someone they knew from a long time ago from lost memories. "The little girl that the 14th adopted?"

"Laia?" the Earl said to himself, his head snapping to see the girl floating in the tube.

"What?" one other Noah said to all of them. "Laia? She's not dead?"

"Impossible!" the Earl said to them. "It's been 7000 years since the great flood! She cannot be alive!"

"No!" Kanda screamed, coming in to crash into the lab hall and protects Laia. However, before he could do so, they have forced him to meet with his long lost friend, whom he had thought had died, Alma Karma…

"Stop it!" Allen screams, launching his Crowned Clown and protects Laia, who is still sleeping within the waters inside the tube. She is still sealed, and there is no way to wake her up. She might just be the only person capable of fighting on part with the Noahs. They need her to survive. They need her to save humanity. They need her to save the Exorcist and salvage their souls!

"The 14th and I sealed her within an enchanted glass box, to which she remained asleep and ceased aging, protecting her from the water and the wrath from the Gods since all humanity excluding the Noahs family is allowed to live," Tyki said, explaining to them all and casted a spell over her tube of water. However, before he could do so, the Earl destroys his spell and forces him to look at him eye in eye.

"Tyki!? Why?!" the Earl ask him, hissing into his face angrily.

"I can't kill her...she's the one and only person I ever loved for so long...even my inner Noah loves her..." Tyki said to him, and sheds a single blood tear out of sadness. He knew he could never have her as his beloved, and has resorted to instead protect her well from harm.

With that, the Crows came in. The Inspector is there as well.

"Protect the Heart!" the Inspector calls, pointing one long finger at Laia.

"Yes, Inspector!" the Crows obeys him, and rushes forward to form complicated seals. While they forms the seals, the Noahs picked them one by one and kills them gruesomely.

While they fight, both Krory and Lavi is slammed into the many wires and machines that kept Laia sealed within the glass tube. The wires dislocated from its socket, and soaked in water. Immediately, Madarao felt the barrier surrounding Laia loosened. Observing from the sides and determining to be the one and only person to witness her awakening, he watched as the seal weakened and starting to set Laia free.

Floating for a while, the sealed red handcuffs suddenly disintegrated and fell down into the bottom of the glass tube with a loud "clang!"

Using her mind powers and anger, Laia burned all the seal papers that sealed her ability to see, speak and listen. The long ribbons of seal papers burned within the water, sparks of red floating within the glass tube as if there is no water in it at all. Hair and her clothes floated in unseen wind, Laia opened her eyes.

She spins with her arms around her, flexing them and feeling the freedom given back to her. The seals all burned inside her with her powers alone, and the water started to vibrate with the intensity of her powers.

The seal written right onto Laia's arms and feet disappeared, alongside with the long thread of paper surrounding the glass tube burned away with angry fire from Laia's sheer will alone. Willing herself to float closer to the glass tube, Laia looked around before touching the glass tube, feeling the powers of the seal sealing her within the glass tube weakening rapidly. Pushing herself back, she raised her arms straight. Palms facing the glass, Laia blasted the glass barrier around her and released her from the many seals that kept her a prisoner.

The water around her disappeared suddenly, leaving her floating around for a little while more with thousands of glowing water droplets around her, looking every bit like an ethereal water spirit.

Dropping down heavily from the lack of water and gravity, Laia gasped and takes a deep fresh breath, savoring the long forgotten smell of fresh air. The smooth light breeze caressed her face, drying her skin while water gradually leaves her body. That is when she heard a loud crunch of boots crushing glass. Opening her eyes, she was greeted with Madarao's face, the Third Exorcist.

Unexpectedly, Madarao offered her his hand, his face remained expressionless. Placing her hand in his, Madarao helped her to step away from the now smashed seal tube, one arm around her waist to lift her up and to protect her from the jagged glass. Releasing her, Laia gave him a slight nod and said softly, "Thank you, Madarao, for staying with me all the time."

"It's my duty, Laia-sama," said Madarao formally, his head in a slight bow to her. Nobody had known that he had greatly admired Laia's strength and strong decision to sacrifice her just for the sake of those that are dear to her will not be harmed. She had agreed to Leverier's decision that she is to be sealed and not participate in the war. She agreed that Leverier and the American branch could perform experiments on her and draw out her blood for any purposes that they are to do to her blood, only if he promised not to harm the Exorcist in any form or any way. She kept the part of her deal till the end, but he did not.

Leverier's lie to the accommodator of the Heart of the Innocence had been displayed like an opera in the theater. Laia had seen how Leverier forced the Exorcist to continue to fight even if they're on the verge of dying, and she had seen how he had treated the Third Exorcist like they're a bunch of successful lab rat. He had harmed the Exorcist's spirit and greatly diminished their strength in battle.

The deal is officially off.

"Verdict of Vengeance, Last Anarchy," said Laia softly. The Innocence symbol on her forehead and on the center of her palm glowed silver light. "Innocences activate."

The silver light in her palm formed a long silver bow while the Innocence on her forehead glowed even brighter and formed a blooming red lotus that continued into her forehead's hairline, which slowly transformed her long jet black hair into a swirling river of silver hair, flowing behind her like a glowing silver cape. Levitating herself off the ground, she quickly flew herself towards Kanda.

Taking a quick aim, Laia released a surge of air pressured into becoming her arrows. Coated alongside with the deadly Innocence dust that seemed to come out from her hair like fairy dust, the Innocence-coated air arrow flew right into a long line of Level 3 akuma, effectively killing the akuma that had dived in to kill Kanda.

Surprised by the long silver light that came from behind him; Kanda looked up and saw Laia, in all her silver glory, floating in the air, her eyes focused on him.

Neither of them said anything. Their eyes focused on each other, as if it has been years since they've seen each other.

Without ceasing from staring at Kanda, Laia raised her bow and whispered softly, "Forest of Fury." Immediately, a silver light encased the bow and it formed a long silver walking staff with a silver crystal swirling on top of the staff.

"Laia!" a shout came from Lavi's direction, awaking both Laia and Kanda from their staring. Turning towards Lavi, Laia saw a huge swarm of Level 3 aiming towards all the Exorcists. Landing right in front of Kanda, Laia focused on erecting a barrier around every Exorcists and the Black Order's staff that is present at the war seconds before the Akumas dive in for the kill.

Moments later, everything is drowned in a sea of Akumas, leaving the rest of the Noahs to slowly realize the truth of what the 1st disciple did to them.

When the Exorcists raise their heads up from being covered by their arms previously, they realizes that each and every one of them is surrounded by what had surrounded Lenalee when her Innocence decided to protect her from Akumas. A green glowing crystal surrounded them from all sides, and they couldn't break free from it.

Pressing their palms and face into the crystal, they tried to see what the limited views would provide them. What they saw is a glowing red light floating in the air, and that when it suddenly glows brighter, the green crystal barrier from the Innocences disintegrated into thousands of tiny glasses.

What they saw surprises them in many ways. Where Laia had previously stood in the air with all her Innocence activated, there is a red-ruby colored crystal glowing rhythmically like a heartbeat. All the Innocences that still have not found its accommodator surrounded the red crystal, circling it round and around in a never ending cycle. The red crystal is different from the green crystals, as it had a heart shaped, gold colored glowing crystal in the center of the red crystal, confirming to all of those on the scene that Laia indeed is the Heart.


	12. The Ice 2

**Chapter 11**

**The Ice 2**

She sighed intently.

Laia limped through the small corridor with her twisted ankle. It has been a while now, and not only does her powers do not heal it; she doesn't even have the strength to move or fight. Lucky her, today is her holiday, and she didn't need to go out for the never ending battles between the Earl of Millennium and humanity. Not only hadn't her right ankle healed, it practically got worse. Each night she woke up with a start, and then had a few cramps all of a sudden. She hated cramps. Darn that Levrier.

She sighs again when she came to a corner, knowing that it would take her another long corridor or so before she reaches her room. It was a conjoining one, one that she shares with Kanda Yuu, the one she loves all these while, and still does. She is protecting him from Leverrier, who wants to continue to harness his powers as the Second Exorcist and makes more Exorcists. It would be an abomination, and Laia knew, that evil person is planning for something even more sinister beneath everything else.

She went back into her room with great difficulty, and is preparing to take a long shower to ease the pain on her ankle by going to her closet to get a fresh towel before she finally notices a figure sitting in the dark at the desk. Turning her head around, her eyes widened at the sight of Kanda Yuu, who seemed to fix his eyes upon her feet. She barely stifles a scream in her throat before she realizes it was Kanda.

"You scared me!" she said, one hand over her chest to calm her erratically beating heart.

"Did you twist it?" said Kanda, his deep voice a turn on for her and that she admit that she missed the Asian Exorcist a lot.

Taking a deep breath and unintentionally inhaled a large amount of Kanda's manly perfume which makes her slightly dizzy, Laia quickly regains her composures and huffs out arrogantly, "I did no such things!"

"Really?" Kanda said skeptically, his beautiful eyes zooming on her and narrows down into small slit. She did not surrender, and merely puffed out her chest.

"I am merely walking slowly. I'm taking my time, today's my holiday."

"I don't think so," said Kanda dully. He bends down and grabbed her ankle in his hand all of a sudden and lifted it higher, earning him a yelp from Laia.

"W-What are you doing!?" Laia screamed. "Leave me alone! Put me down this instance!"

"I am examining your ankle- It's swollen for Pete's sake! How long has it been since you last twisted it?!" Kanda exclaims in surprise, angry that she has mistreated herself without getting proper medication and medical attentions.

"I said; I did not twist my ankle! Now let go of my foot!"

"You should go and see the matron."

"No! And I won't! I said let g- ah!"

Both of them landed in quite an unexpected position. To prevent her fall, Kanda had wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back to balance, pinning her against the table beside them. Laia's hand slammed on top of the table to stop her from falling as well, and her hand unexpectedly slipped against the table's slippery condition and ended up lying on top of the table non-to-gently, causing Kanda, who had places his entire weight on her to fall with her, coming face to face with her at their sudden proximity.

It's been a while since he came this close to her, and he definitely missed her warmth. How those beautiful eyes of hers sparkled whenever he's around, how those soft hand of hers caress his hair regardless of his glares and how she used to cower behind him whenever a cockroach is in sight.

He misses her. He misses how she would constantly get on his nerve by calling him Yuu-kun or Yuu-chan, or simply Yuu. He misses fighting with her and bickering on who is to get to the soba meals first. He misses her grabbing his arms and throwing him off balance. He misses her hugs. He misses her stealing from him a kiss from his cheek. He misses her voice and her songs, and he misses her lullabies.

Unable to resist his desire, Kanda leans down quickly and tightens his arms around her waist, pulling her into a passionate embrace and covers her mouth in a firm kiss.

Too shocked to do anything, Laia stares wide-eyed into Kanda's blazing eyes, frozen into stupor. When Laia finally felt Kanda's lips moves on top of hers, she placed a hand on his chest and pushes him off of her roughly.

"What the- what are you doing!?" she exclaimed, glaring at Kanda and trying to escape from Kanda's vice grip. Feeling his self control spiraling out of control, Kanda succumbs to his desires and leans back down again to kiss her, only to find his mouth being covered by her hand. With a low growl, Kanda gripped the hand covering his mouth with ease and raised it high above her head, trapping her in his embrace. Breathing in her scent, he nuzzled her neck roughly and growled at her scent wafting into his nostrils.

Despite her protest to not touch her, Kanda let his hand wander all over her petite little body. Licking the spot behind her ear, he lightly grazed it with his teeth, expecting to hear a moan from her.

But all he got is livid screams from her.

"Let go of me! Let go! Kanda! Don't touch me! Stop it!" she screamed, all the time beating his shoulder with her free arm and tried her best to push him off. His towering figure seemed to prove that all her efforts of trying to escape from his embrace is futile, since his towering figure had absolutely no problem in handling her petite figure.

Deciding that playing around with her neck is enough, Kanda dived in for the kiss again. As expected, she puts up a fight for it with her only free arm, using it to push his chest away from hers.

Grasping it tightly in his hand, he threw her only free arm under his arms and pushed his body against hers, preventing her free arm to reach anywhere near his chest or face. With his free hand, he reaches down and lifted her thigh to wrap around his waist, wanting her to feel his erection on her nether region.

Finding her trying to scream her lungs out even when he's kissing her terribly annoying, he did what he could to shut her off.

Biting hard onto her lips, he heard her gasp in pain and instinctively, he slide his tongue into her mouth, to which all of her movements and protest died down immediately, feeling her shiver under his embrace.

He knew she loved it when he French kissed her.

There was a long pause. Kanda releases her lips and stares down at her, noting that her eyes are closed. Slowly, her eyes open dazedly and searched his eyes for things that only she knows.

Gingerly, Kanda uses his fingers to brush her bangs back a little. That little act brought her back to reality and she stares boldly into his eyes with a burning gaze.

This time, it was she who initiated the kiss. Pulling him back down to her by his collar, Laia crushes her lips against his in a bruising kiss. Kanda responded almost immediately, sliding his tongue back into her now welcoming mouth and deep kissing her. Laia whimpered slightly from the deep kiss and sighed blissfully into his mouth, causing Kanda to smile against her lips when she instinctively brought up a hand to his shoulder and squeezed them hard, letting him run his tongue all over her sweet cavern. Holding on to her lower back, he easily lifts her off the ground as if she weighed nothing more than a rag doll and placed her on the table without once breaking their tight lip-lock. Wrenching his lips away from hers, he quickly latched his mouth onto her neck and licked her hot spot, hearing her moan in pleasure.

He removes her panties and lets himself out from his pants. With a quick movement, he slides himself into her for the very first time and heard her moans in pain.

"Yuu… it hurts…" she said to him, and he continues to push himself into her. "Please… don't stop…" she said to him, and that encourages him to finally ram himself fully into her, earning him a short scream from her.

He stopped, allowing her time to get used to his size inside her. Slowly, she looks up at him shyly and said to him, "It no longer hurts…"

With that, he moves. He started the rhythm slow, but he increases his speed gradually. He felt her blood tickle down the table, and she begun to moan in pleasure.

"Call my name," Kanda hisses almost violently, slamming him into her fast and hard while relishing himself in hearing her moans of pleasure. "My name, Laia. Call my name. I want to hear it from your lips."

Laia couldn't reply him even if he wanted her to. She couldn't even think of a possible reply except to moan and bask in the overflowing pleasure, shaking her head from side to side in protest and continues to moan in ecstasy.

"Call my name, Laia," Kanda said with a huff, forcing him to come to a halt all of a sudden and held her face in his hands. "Call my name, or I'll stop."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Laia protested, her hands desperately running all over Kanda's exposed skin, touching every part she could touch and gripped his biceps hard. "No! Yuu, don't stop! Don't stop, please! Yuu...Yuu...Yuu..."

"Mine!" Kanda hissed before slamming himself back into her, groaning in pleasure when she bites down on his shoulder hard to muffle the sound of her moans. Pushing her thighs up higher, Kanda picks up his speed and groaned again when she scratches his back. "You're completely mine, Laia. Mine!"

"You're mine too, Yuu..." Laia managed to force the words out of her mouth before she slammed her hand on top of the table when he hits on an extra sensitive spot in her, searching for objects to grip and settles instead on his hips, digging her nails into his skin, his name a chant on her lips.

They made love for the very first time on the table, and Laia loses her virginity to him on that table. They made love for quite a while, and appearing absolutely oblivious to the fact that Madarao is standing outside, listening to their lovemaking and their moans of pleasure as Kanda came inside her again and again.

Outside, Madarao stood leaning on the wall with a dejected expression, listening with a forlorn expression to their passionate moans and calling each other's names with such love. He had so wanted Laia's love, and yet he could only settles with watching her giving her love to Kanda, the man who is currently wrapped tightly in between her legs. He had to settle with listening to the Second Exorcist taking her to the peak of bliss, while he, as a Third-Exorcist, an abomination amongst even the Exorcists, stood by the side and watches and listens, like the watchdog all of them called him. Closing his eyes, he wills himself to not listen to them and instead focusing on his duties and that is to guard Laia Elfreya.

Kanda brought their lovemaking to another degree of passionate love. He lifted her off the table, with his sperm dripping out from her vagina. He never detaches himself from her and carried her to his bed. He gently lowers her down and starts to fuck her again.

"Oh, Yuu… Yuu!" Laia calls his name, her breast bouncing as he fucks her hard. He grabbed one of her breast and begun to kneed her breast. She moans at the wonderful feeling, not regretting that he had taken her virginity.

"Laia…" Kanda calls her name, his eyes staring straight into hers. She looks at him and maintains their eye contact, and as they fuck, Kanda came powerfully inside her, spewing his sperms inside her vaginal canal. She moans at the feelings of him squirting all his sperms inside her, and she came as well.

"I'm coming!" Laia screamed, and she held him close to her, her legs wrapped around his waist as he came inside her body.

Kanda slumped against her body, his entire weight on her as he feels fatigue takes over him. She wrapped her small arms around is torso and held him tight to her.

"I love you, Yuu…" Laia said to him, her eyes closed and smiling with bliss at the feelings of him buried deep inside her. Initially, it hurts badly. And she even bleeds from having his penis puncturing her virginity. Now that she is his, she felt happy. "I am glad you took my first…"

"Does it hurt much?" Kanda ask her, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. Laia sighs in bliss.

"After a while, it stopped hurting… now it's just numb… you kept pushing yourself in and out of me…" Laia said to him, blushing shyly and refusing to use the word 'make love'.

"You meant that I penetrated you? Or I fucked you?" Kanda ask her, his eyes staring into her wide orbs.

"Well…" Laia falters, shyness overload.

"Well…?" Kanda waited, wanting to hear her say something dirty.

"Well… you penetrated me…" Laia said, and Kanda smirked.

"You shy little thing… good thing I am in love with you," Kanda said to her, stroking her soft hair with his hands. The motion lulls her gently into slumber, and no sooner, she is asleep.

For once, Kanda slept soundly into the night, with her in his arms. He needn't to know what tomorrow shall bring upon them, because for now, he has her in his arms finally.

And what awaits them is Leverrier, who is informed of their sexual activities and that the Witch is no longer a virgin. He seethes in anger. He threw his mug against the wall and it smashes into thousands of pieces on the floor.

"She is a holy being!" Leverrier screamed. "How can he fuck her! How can he takes her virginity away!?"

Leverrier strides out of the room, and the rest of his followers follows him. Link included.

"Commence the project…" Leverrier said to him, and Link nodded his head and saluted the evil man. "Take Laia Elfreya under custody, label her. Put her in the tank and call all the summoners and the chanters to seal her up!"


	13. 3 Months Later

**Chapter 13**

**3 Months Later**

The cold night breeze did nothing to sooth the distressed figure writhing on the bed. It has been three months since the fateful incident. Laia's Heart Innocence shattered, but it became one again soon enough when it touches the ground. Kanda had caught her when she fell from the sky, and with that, the end of the battle is starting.

There is no case of akuma in these three months, but the Vatican knew that the Earl is planning to unleash his troupes of akuma into the world. Laia became all powerful, but greatly weakened, taking long hours to regain her strength and eats more than Allen. Leverrier left her alone, and Allen is caught as the traitor. No sooner, Allen escapes with the help of Lenalee Lee, where they shares their first kiss as lovers. Allen left them, and Link is pronounced as dead. All there is left is the people in the Black Order, minus Allen, Link and of course, Kanda Yuu.

Kanda had escaped with the help of Allen Walker, and Laia believes firmly that he is living somewhere else with Alma Karma. He has chosen him, and with that, she has no regrets. Because she has loved the great exorcist once and that is more than enough.

As she slept writhing on the bed, rain started to fall heavily. Laia sleeps in her bed, and turns around frequently, not being able to sleep because of her nightmares. Usually the third exorcist, Madarao, would wake her up. But now that he is dead as well, she could only writhe in her never ending nightmare.

A figure came into her room quietly and closes the door. He did not turn on the lights for fear of causing her harm again. The handsome-almost-beautiful Exorcist sat beside her bed, brushing her hair away from her face while watching her with a forlorn expression on his face. Her hair had gotten longer, getting into almost everything and flowing right down to the floor. Much more longer than her ankles, and it has only been 3 months since he last saw her. It would seem that her Innocence is taking her life much more than necessary, and causes her to grow older faster. But still, she remains as young as she is from the first day he saw her. Perhaps the Earl of Millennium has made her an immortal?

It was quite another while of trashing and anxious whimpers before she woke up with a start in the middle of the night, screaming her lungs out shrill into the night with an anguished bloodcurdling howl.

Wrapping his arms around her, Laia fought with the dark figure embracing her and pushed him away from her. Kanda continues to hold her down and attempting to calm her down with his voice.

The door bursts open and in came tumbling all the Exorcists, their face a frantic shock when Laia wakes up the whole Black Order again with her nightmare.

"What happened?" Lavi exclaimed fretfully, his eyes flitting from Laia's struggling form to Kanda, and back at her again only to ask Kanda, wanting answers desperately from the Asian Exorcist. "Is it her nightmare? And is that you… Yuu-chan?"

Kanda gave Lavi a stiff nod and pulled her head close to his, her wide fearful eyes staring into his while he held himself against her hands beating all over him.

"Laia," he said almost gently, feeling her recognizing his voice and lessens her struggle when he continues to call out to her softly. "It's me. It's me, Yuu. Laia, wake up. You're safe with me here."

Her eyes caught onto the very image of Yuu Kanda, complete with dark eyes and long dark hair tied back with the hair tie she had made for him on his birthday. Her eyes started to water rapidly, and the next thing he knew, she started sobbing mournfully in anguished throaty sobs into his shoulder, glad that his scent is there with her when she woke up as she took in her surroundings in her half slumbering state, thinking that she is still stuck in her dream, and that dream-Kanda is there for her like she wishes him to be.

"I'm glad you've left, Yuu," she sobbed sadly into his shoulders, moving up to the crook of his neck, her tears soaking the front of his white button down Oxford shirt. "I'm glad you're not here to suffer with me. I'm glad you're gone with Alma, and I'm glad that you're happy with it."

Kanda responded by holding her tightly, wrapping his arms around her to protect her from the nightmare haunting her still and from the gazes of the other Exorcists and a few of the staffs from the Science Department. Rocking her gently, Kanda stroked her hair soothingly and kisses her temple.

"I'm okay. We're all here," Kanda said in a low tone, not wanting anyone else to hear what he wanted her to listen. He continues to murmur sweet and calming nothings to her, comforting her with the rhythmic rub behind her back that he knew she loves. She responded with another deep, sad sob, burying her face in his embrace.

"The only thing I regret, up until now, is that I didn't confess to you one last time…that I didn't tell you how much I love you…and how much I've wanted to follow you till the end of the world…My heart ache so painfully every time I thought about it, Yuu…I…I can't, no matter how much I wanted to…I can't…Yuu, I can't leave the others behind to die…"

"Then I'll be here with you…" Kanda said softly in a voice only she could hear. "I'll be here with you. I'll come back for you, and I'll stay with you just as you have stayed with me all these while…"

"Yuu… Yuu!" Laia calls out to her as she sobs mournfully, holding on tightly to Kanda's torso, not wanting to wake up from this wonderful dream. But when she notices that Kanda is warm and hard, she releases herself from his holdings and stares at him.

"Yuu…?" Laia asks him, not believing her eyes. Then, she fainted.

"Laia!" Kanda calls her, but she did not respond. Komui and the Matron came in and chased everybody out of the room.

A while later, they came out. Everybody swarms around them and ask them various questions.

"How is she, matron?" Kanda asked, concerned with the young girl resting on the bed, hiding her face from the entrance and preferring to stare up the walls in her own room. "I planned to see her later in the evening, just to check up on her a little. I didn't expect her to collapse so soon again. It's just two days ago since she last passed out…"

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with her. She does seemed to prefer silence nowadays, but apart from that and her eating habits that has subsided, she is completely fine-" the Matron said, but her words are cut off by Kanda.

"Wait…eating habits?"

"Don't you know?" the Matron said, feeling strange that Kanda would ask such questions She stopped eating a while ago, only taking water and nothing else."

"Nothing but water? Why?"

"I tried giving her food, but she just threw them back out. She can't even take small crackers, for God's sake! How could you people just abandon her trust and treat her like the traitor everyone said she was!? You are comrades, aren't you?"

"What's her condition got to do with us being comrades?"

"Her eating disability came to be when she lost the trust of her own comrades. The first trust she lost is Kanda's, and she had started to eat less and less. Eventually, she came to what she is today, unable to swallow anything but water. She was once a cheerful girl, but now she is just the sad beautiful girl sitting in the infirmary."

"And Komui-"

"Yes, Matron," Komui said, pushing forward into the crowd.

"She tells me that her sight gets bad as the day goes by. I think she is going blind," the Matron said sadly, and walks away from her room. Everyone lamented at her pitiful state, because she has been crying none stop since Kanda left them. She is so sad because she thought that she has lost him.

"Yuu…" Laia mouthed weakly. Immediately, Kanda leaped to her side.

"Yes, Laia?" Kanda said. "I'm here. Don't be afraid…"

"My Innocence will heal my eyes. Don't worry. Please… are you really here?" Laia ask, touching his face and feeling the warmth from his face.

"I am. And I came back to stay with you…" Kanda said, holding her hands in his tightly and kissing the back of her hand. Laia sheds another tear of gratitude.

"Thank you… for coming back. I know how awful you thought this place is… but… I just…"

"Shhh…" Kanda started, silencing her with his fingers. "Sleep. Rest. You have a great day tomorrow. I shall be by your side… always…"


	14. The Dream

**Chapter 14**

**The Dream**

_Where Laia had previously stood in the air in all her silver glory and Innocences activated, there is a red-ruby colored crystal glowing rhythmically like a heartbeat. All the Innocences that still have not found its accommodator and are still in cube form circled the red crystals, as if to protect it in a never ending cycle. The red crystal is different from the green cubes, as if it had a heart to begin with; it pulsed with life and red light. It has a heart shape, gold colored glowing cube crystal in the center of the heart shaped crystal, and there are engravings of gold vines all over the crystal. It confirms to all that she is indeed the Heart_

_The long awaited Heart Apostle General. _

"_The Heart!" Lavi exclaims, staring at the beautiful floating heart. The rest of the accommodators stare at it as well. They are all in awe with the heart floating in mid air, and could feel the sheer power that is flowing out of it. There was a human figure inside the heart, and she floats with her hair and her long silvery skirt floating around her. _

"_It is the Heart!" Lenalee exclaims as well, standing beside Lavi to stare at it. Moments later, the heart burst into thousands of light pieces, transforming into healing properties of glowing red lights. _

"_Our wounds!" Allen exclaims. "They've healed!"_

"_It's Laia!" Lavi said to them. "She heals us!"_

_And there she is, standing proudly on the air with her powers rippling off her in waves. The bells on her silvery white staff rung, and the rest of the akuma looks up to her as if in a trance. They all followed her, and they flew up in an army, going after the long awaited Heart Apostle. _

"_Destroy the Heart!" the Earl exclaims loudly, and all levels akuma rushes after her to kill her. She flew up into the skies with all the akumas going after her with her staff, and in a flash, she is up in the skies. Once she passes through the clouds, she lets herself fall back, her Innocences deactivated. _

"_Innocence, Deactivate," she mumbles softly, her eyes closed and letting herself feel the wind against her skin._

_All her Innocence retreated into her body. She felt the wind against her cheeks and skin, and she felt her hair rippling behind her. She felt like flying, and her Innocence had made her dreams come true by making one of its abilities being able to fly on air on will. She loves her Innocence more than anything in the world, and in return, the Innocence loves her till it is willing to protect her from harm, imbuing itself into her blood and into her brain to make her all the more powerful. Then she saw them. _

_Everyone is shocked that she has deactivated her Innocence. She is virtually powerless as she fell from the skies to the grounds. She saw Kanda running to catch her, and she did nothing but smile. _

"_I shall salvage all of your souls…" Laia said to them with a smile. _

"_Innocences! Hadsudou!" she exclaims loudly and her Innocence came wrapping itself around her in less than a few seconds. Completely enveloped in silver white, she sang a loud chorus of music and she fell to the ground in one clean and graceful movement and slams her staff onto the ground, a loud squeak of a bird-like calling musical tone releases from it, and everyone is almost thrown back by the power of the staff. _

_The power excluded by the staff is so immense that all the akumas disintegrated into dust and nothing at all after it is hit by the power field. Nothing is left in the world, and they are safe once more. _

"_Did all the akumas…?" Lavi stuttered, staring in absolute disbelief at the scene in front of him. _

"_They disappeared…" Lenalee said to herself, one hand covering her mouth. _

"_No," Allen said determinedly. "They are gone. Gone with Laia's powers…"_

"_We've won the war…?" General Tiedoll said to them in disbelief, watching the empty battle field with disbelief. _

_There is nothing left on the battlefield, and Laia, still within her Innocence form, stood up proudly and straightens her back. She has defeated the akumas with only one of her Innocences, and she is rippling with power. _

_As soon as her Innocence disintegrated, she fell down in a heap, losing consciousness. _

"_Laia!" Kanda exclaims from afar, and rushes to her rescue. He sweeps her into his arms and held her. Blood came out from her mouth and nose and she bleeds dark black blood. _

"_Quick!" Lavi exclaims. "To the infirmary!"_

_Kanda sweeps her into his arms and run to the infirmary. Her blood flows none stop, like loose pipe water, and it dripped to the ground and glows in a golden light of sort. _

"_Why is her blood glowing?" Allen asks, and stopped at his tracks. He touches her blood, and he had a sudden instinct that her blood is conjoined with her Innocences. _

"_Like mine…?" Allen mumbles to himself. He is surprised with the revelation, and is thoroughly shocked with it. How could Laia end up with her Innocence completely imbued into her blood? _

That is when Laia woke up with a start.

She patted her body anxiously, and found that there are no wounds. She touches her weapon, and finds that she is still that low leveled Exorcist with some decent leveled weapons as an Innocence. She sighs gratefully, cursing the stupid dream that had caused her to lose some sleep.

But it's so vivid, she thought to herself. Could it be the future?

_**No**_, the Innocence replies her in its tinkling bell-like voice. _**It is not. Rest. I will tell you more if you rest more… be good.**_

Laia fell back to her bed and closes her eyes. The cool air that came in from her window is causing her to shiver pleasantly, and she picks up her thick blanket and covers herself tightly in it. She loves sleeping in a cold place. It doesn't make her sweat, and she likes to shiver. It feels so pleasant.

That morning, the Black Order is going to move to its new headquarters. Kanda and Lavi had shrunk to an immensely small size, and are mumbling something bad about the scientists in the Black Order Science Department.

"You stupid people had nothing to do but to make these stupid things are you?" Lavi exclaims angrily, throwing his small hands up into the air.

"You fucking people better fucking give me the fucking antidote. Right fucking now!" Kanda hisses angrily with a wooden sword in his arms, and the science department people shivers in fear. A pea sized brat Kanda Yuu with a wooden sword is just as dangerous as an adult and fully grown Kanda Yuu who has the real Mugen in his arms.

Suddenly, someone from behind came at him and hugged him, wrapping their arms around him and rubbed their face against his head.

"What the-" Kanda mouthed when suddenly he felt as if he's been lifted up into the air.

The next thing he knew, he's sitting right in Laia's arms.

"Let me down this instant, woman! I'll cut you down if you don't!" he screeched in anger, a steady blush blooming rapidly across his fair visage. It is already an embarrassment when he, as one of the tallest exorcist had turned into a pea-sized brat. He made a mental note to really kill the scientist in question who created those stupid experiments and left them lying about dangerously.

Laia smiles gleefully and ignored his death threat, knowing that his Mugen is now safely tucked away while Komui repairs them. Hugging him tightly to her, she rubbed her face against Kanda's now small body and sighed happily.

"You're so cute, and you smell so good, Yuu. And you're soft for once, not hard with muscles! I love you!"

"That sounds just weird enough, Laia, coming from you…" Lavi said while sweat dropping, his expression blank with shock.

Laia continues to hug Kanda, and no sooner, Kanda grew tired and allows her to stick to him.

It was then Kanda smelled her scent again. It was so fragrant, and sweet, and seductive. He blushes when he saw just how close he is to her face and her breast, and looks away.

Laia smiles up at Kanda, and pulls in his face. She took the opportunity that he is short and small and kisses him on the lips. Kanda's eyes bulged wide and huge, and he stutters.

"Y-y-you…!" little Kanda stutters, his blush going redder and redder as the second goes by with her smiling ever so beautifully at him.

"I love you, Yuu-kun!" Laia said happily, hugging him all the more tighter. "I love you so so so so so sooooo much! Don't you love me too?" Laia asks loudly, and not notices that Kanda has passes out in her arms.

Those were the happy times.

Soon, war started. The akumas are on the move, and they are all to come to report to Komui's office to search for the Generals.

"General Tiedoll is missing. Laia Elfreya will be joining you and Noise Marie, Kanda-kun. She will be his disciple since he's the first one to call in when he heard of a new Exorcist," Komui said to them, and they saluted the Commander and went out of his office.

"We're comrades, eh?" Daisya said happily, one arm slung around Laia's shoulder. A sharp sound rung in the air and Kanda's sword is soon placed coolly on Daisya's neck.

"Your. Hand," Kanda said to him, an ominous cloud over his head. Daisya slowly retracted his hand and ran for his life, his bell ringing merrily on his hat.

"You should leave him alone, Yuu-kun!" Laia said to him, one foot stomping on the ground. Kanda smirks when he saw that.

"One day, Laia. Someone is gonna rape you and you will just let him go when he pleads at you…" Kanda said to her, and strode off with a haughty attitude. Laia made a face at him and blows out a tongue at him.

"I'm gonna slice off your hair one day and make them my new fake hair!" Laia screams and Kanda twirls his Mugen in the air in his arms, walking straight forward without looking back at her.

Growing angry with his stupid attitude, Laia charges at him silently in a quick pace and planned to attack him from behind. Kanda felt a murderous intent charging at him from behind and flipped the person to the front.

In that short moment when Laia is screaming in the air, Kanda saw that it is her, and for a moment, he is shocked.

Quickly, he flipped her back, and somehow, she ends up in his arms, with his face hovering close to her face like never before.

"Y-Yuu!" Laia stutters, feeling the hot blush spreading across her face as Kanda stares her down with his dark eyes. Now that she notices, it was a deep dark blue, with never ending swirls of pain and sadness and anger in it. Slowly, she touches his face with her small hand, and landed a butterfly touch on his skin.

"Yuu…" Laia mumbles his name again, and this time, Kanda leans in, kissing her hard on her lips.

Kanda broke the kiss and releases her, letting her drop to a soft heap on the ground.

"If you dare to speak again, then I shall kiss you again," Kanda said, a steady blush on his face. What on earth made him kiss her like that?!

Laia nodded her head blankly, and watches him walk away from her. Then she saw he stopped, and walked forward again. And stopped again.

With a light click of his tongue, he turns back sharply and scoops up Laia in his arms. She squeaked and protested.

"Hey! Let me go!" Laia screamed in protest, and is met with his lips again for the second time that day.

"I told you," Kanda said after releasing her lips. "You talk again, and I shall kiss you again. Understood me?"

Laia nodded her head, and she allows him to carry her to the infirmary. He knew she has scraped herself on a rusty tool just now, and she has skipped going to the infirmary. Knowing she is a stubborn girl, he felt that it is his duty to bring her to the infirmary. Lest that the old General Tiedoll blames him again for his little darling daughter's accident.

"Take care of yourself well, alright?" Kanda said, helping her bandaging her wound. It was a large scrape, and the doctor had already given her an injection to prevent infections. "I couldn't always be there for you…"

"Thank you, Yuu-kun. You're so kind…" Laia said to him, and watches him with her eyelids fluttering with shyness. It was too much for Kanda, and he leans back down to kiss her again. This time, he made it a soft kiss. He slides his lips from side to side, and prodded her mouth with his tongue.

"Open your mouth for me…" Kanda mumbles against her lips, and she shyly opens her mouth. He dives into her mouth with his tongue and entangles her tongue in his. She moans shyly, and one of her hands are on his shoulders, gripping his clothe.

"Laia! I heard you were injured!" Allen screams, barging into the room with the rest of the Exorcists. Kanda quickly detaches himself from her and made her lie down with the blanket covering her face.

"She's asleep, don't disturb her, Moyashi," Kanda said, striding out of the infirmary and to his room.

"It's Allen, BaKanda!" Allen exclaims angrily, one hand wringing at Kanda's retreating back.


	15. How It All Begun

**Chapter 15**

**How It All Begun…**

"Get out!" a woman screamed shrilly, attracting attentions from everywhere on the streets of Lumar. It was 7000 years ago, and Laia, who's name is Leiya that time, is only 16 years old…

"Mommy…" Leiya said sadly, calling her mother sweetly and sadly. "Mommy, please…"

"Don't you call me that, you evil witch!" the woman said shrilly. Everyone stood far away from the girl, and refuses to look at her in the eye. Leiya cried sadly.

"Mommy, please… don't kick me out… I'm your daughter…" Leiya said, and watches as her mother slammed the door in her face.

"I don't have a daughter! She is dead!" the woman exclaims, and soon, there are no sounds from the house door anymore.

Neah stood near the girl, watching the scene unfolding in front of him. His hands are folded in front of him, and he watches with a sad expression on his face. His long white outfit stood out so much in the crowd that no one gets close to him. With that, he walks towards the little girl.

"Hello there," Neah said to her gently. She looks up at him with tears in his eyes. He is a handsome man, young and beautiful and fair. His eyes are clear and wide with curiosity and sadness for the girl, and it felt as if he is a kind person.

Leiya is a very beautiful girl, with large green eyes looking at him innocently. "Would you like to come away with me and stay with me at my home? I have many rooms, and I knew you could make a few delicious desserts. Could you make some for me?"

The little girl sobbed. She stood up and gave him a low bow.

"I would be glad to. Sire, please, let me stay at your home. I have nowhere else to go now. Please, I can do anything…" Leiya said, sobbing slightly from time to time. Neah pulls her gently into his embrace and hugged her tightly.

"Don't be, my dear. Call me Nii-sama. I will take care of you like my own sister from now on…" Neah said, and gently stirs her from the crowd and into his home.

For those long months, Leiya lives with him happily. He showers her with gifts, and loves and adores her like a big brother does. Jyodo, his other brother, fell in love with her, but did not dare to say it out loud. He fears that she would leave him if he does confess to her, and he did not want that to happen.

Then come the Earl. In the dead of night, he carried Leiya to his experiment lab and gave her all sorts of test. She became powerful, with telekinesis powers from birth, and it became even more powerful, sometimes she would have dreams and bouts of the future, and yet not remembering it upon waking up. She saw the earth collapses in watery graves, and only the Noahs survive. Then she saw Kanda Yuu, gently making love with her, confessing to her that he has waited for her arrival for forever. She saw the war coming, and she herself is the Heart Apostle.

Then she woke up, like she has been doing all these years.

"Leiya!" the 14th came rushing at her, his face an expression of bewilderment and he quickly sweeps her into his arms. She squeaked at the close contact and the gravity of the condition.

"Nii-sama!" she exclaims, holding onto his neck. Jyodo came soon afterwards, and they went into a small cave with a large tree in it.

"Go!" the 14th threw her into the tree, and she screams in fear at being hurled into the air so suddenly. Then as she lands inside the tree magically, the tree wounds its wood and twigs around her, and she is comfortably secured inside the tree itself.

"Nii-sama!" she screams, struggling to free herself from the clutches of the tree.

"Stay there and you shall be safe. The Gods are punishing humanity, and only the Noahs are supposed to survive. You shall be safe here, my dear sister. The apostles from the Black Order shall save you, for I will create it just for you… you shall be safe there, safe from all harms…" the 14th said, leaving her in the tree and watches from afar as she is succumbed to her eternal sleep.

That was 7000 years ago…

When she woke up for the first time after 7000 years, her hair has grown to a ridiculous length, and it surrounds her in long silky locks. Her clothes are rotten, and she is tired and hungry from being in slumber for so long.

Then she notices… there is a man. A beautiful man staring down at her from above. She gasped, and the spell is broken.

She is free, and for once, she breaths in deeply the fresh air from the outside. The man introduces himself as Kanda Yuu, the apostle from the Black Order.

"Black Order…?" she repeated the word, staring at the Black Rose Cross on the apostle's jacket. He is a beautiful man, and when she palms the Black Rose Cross on his jacket, she closes her eyes in deep meditation.

"Bring me there… please…bring me Home…" she pleaded with him, and he scoops her up into his arms with a small 'che' and strides out of the place, the new innocence glowing on her wrists and a new apostle in his arms.

Then, when everything is settles and Laia's powers are known in the Black Order, she went into his room and grabs his hourglass.

"Hey!" Kanda exclaims angrily. "Leave it alone!"

Suddenly, she seems to shine with the hourglass. It glows and glows, and he watches with his own eyes the flower petals started to resumes together to form a whole flower again. Then her powers cease to glow.

"Here you go!" Laia said to him happily, giving him back the hourglass. He grabs it and stares with disbelief at the sight of the beautiful flower floating in the hourglass.

"How did you do it?" he asks her, his eyes wide with surprise and shock. Never before he had dreamed that the flower would once again be whole and glowing, and he felt so energized that he, for a moment, thought of a monstrous word to say to her.

"I used my powers. I'm stronger now, so I can help you, Yuu-Kun…"

Kanda stares at her and stumbles back. When Laia went up ahead to help him, he brushes her off roughly and said the word…

"You monster…" he said.

Immediately, he regretted using the word. Laia's eyes brimmed with shock and tears, and with that, she ran out of his room.

That is the last time Laia spoke to him…

From then on, Laia becomes a person colder than ice. She doesn't smile, she doesn't look at you, and she just stares ahead of you. If you happen to be standing in front of her, then she would stare at you until you move away. The most fearsome thing is when her pupils dilate. When they are dilated, it means that her mind powers are activated. You could bleed internally just by one glance of her eyes, and you could possibly die.

No one stood by her side but Lenalee and Allen. The rest was cautious of her, including Kanda himself. He regretted saying the word, but it was out and he is casted out of her mind because of it. He wanted to apologize, but she never looks at him or stays long in a room with him inside it. She avoids him because she is disappointed in his reaction.

True, he should have thanked her for saving his dwindling life. But who can blame him when someone just magically recreates the flower that serves as his timebomb? Who can blame him when she just powered up so drastically and becomes more powerful than any General alive? Who can blame him when she becomes monstrously powerful? Who can?

How it all begun that he started to love her so much he did not know. But he knew that she is the source of his life now, seeing as she herself has imbued some of her powers inside the lotus, and he could live longer because of her. He had the strangest idea that when she imbues her powers inside his lotus, she also grants him eternal life, a life akin to an immortal. But what about her?

Her innocence is great. Two of it as well. And they are parasitic, the most powerful Innocence ever to grace the earth with its presence and its powers. She alone wields it with her will and her strength to live and die for the Black Order and all the innocent humans outside the world who never even knew the existence of an Akuma and the Earl of Millennium. They never knew, and possibly never would have known about it as well. So, for now, he would obey her and kept his distance with her, watching and guarding her from afar and atone for his mistakes that he had done to her accidentally.

Knowing she is mostly hungry due to her Innocences, he would always drop something like food and fruits by the places that she would have gone by. Like what he had predicted, she would gobble them up without another thought, and would search for more if there are. He smiles whenever he saw her gobble the food up like a thoroughly starved person, and he knew, she is suffering because of her Innocence.

But there is nothing he could do about it. The Innocence fights for mankind, and it stays in the host for a reason. Maybe she is one with the Innocence, and maybe the Innocence needs her, or likes her enough to stay with her. Two of it as well…

He couldn't help her. The most he could do is give her food, and stuff something edible for her wherever she goes. That reminds him of the happy times, when he would stuff his bags full of food and fruits just so that she wouldn't go to Daisya's place and have fun. He didn't like it when she is close with Daisya. He could still feel the feelings when she rummages through his bag for food items those days. He would smirk, and he would hold himself in check just so that he would scare her away and turns around and swing his Mugen at her.

Many a times, he thought that she would die for him. He knew without a doubt that she would willingly die for him, and at the same time, he knew the Innocences that she wields does not wish for her death so soon. They would save her regardless of her injuries, and since seeing her blood intertwined with the Innocence so closely had his assumptions correct. She is one with the Innocence, and nothing can separate them now. Not even Hevlaska.

Not even Hevlaska.

Hevlaska, after she is healed, she checked Laia's Innocence. She had told her that the Innocence is so in one with her that she could do nothing to her if the war has end. Once the war ends, the Innocence's powers would be gone. The Heart would use the Innocence's powers to make all Innocence becomes one whole cube again and use it against the Earl, destroying him forever and ever and ever.

Then, the Innocence would disappear with the Earl.

So does the Heart.

His heart wrenches at the thought of never seeing her again. She knew about it, and yet one time after another, she injures herself gravely in the war, and heals so miraculously fast that he knew, the Innocences she wields is at work. He believes her when she said that she could speak with the Innocence, and that the Innocences took care of her well. He knew all about it. He could do anything.

He couldn't do anything.

Nothing.

He could only watch by the sides as she fights, and helps her when he could. He is powerless against her. She is so much more powerful than he is, and nobody, as in nobody, could help her.

Or save her.

He couldn't even salvage her soul. Her soul has been sold to the Innocences, and she couldn't live again even though she wants to. She would disappear with the Earl, as fated by Fate.

She would die. For everyone, for the Black Order, and for him, the one person she ever loves so much as to give her virginity to him.


	16. The Story of the Fallen Star

**Chapter 16**

**The Story of the Fallen Star**

"Yuu-kun," Laia calls him, a wide smile on his face.

It was rare for them to be able to enjoy such solitude and a relaxing day out of the Black Order's prying eyes. Both of them are resting on their journey to find another akuma's lair, and Laia had grown tired because she had fought and got injured on her previous battle with an akuma. To be fair to her, Kanda had allowed them to rest underneath a large tree, a piece of clothe strewn out underneath them and they enjoys a small lunch that Laia had bought nearby.

"What?" Kanda retorted angrily, his hands itching to get his Mugen to slice up her neck or her hair. Though he liked to see her in long hair, he liked it more when it is strewn all around her instead of donned up in a huge bun of hair and braided with pearls. She had told him that if they ran out of money, she would trade the pearls for money or for food, as she had learnt her lessons last time when they ran out of money.

"Do you wanna hear a story?" Laia said to him, and one hand reaching out to touch his hair gently. Never before Kanda had allowed someone else to touch his hair and she is the only one that he did not want her to stop touching his hair. He likes the feel of her soft touch on his hair, and he wanted it to be there as long as possible.

"No," Kanda said, one hand palming his Mugen's hilt. Gosh, she is so talkative…

"Well, there is once a prince who looks up to the stars. There is a myth about the stars by then, in which whomever who owns a star's heart and eats it, they would live forever and ever and ever…" Laia started, regardless of Kanda wanting to hear it or not. Kanda closes his eyes and lies back, willing himself to not hear it.

But he couldn't stop hearing the story from coming out of her mouth.

"Then, one day, a star came out of the skies and falls into his kingdom. He saw the fallen star, and in search for it, he himself rode on a gallant white horse and rode out of his kingdom in search for it. Days gone by, he finally found the star, and when he found it, he is surprised to find himself looking at a beautiful woman's face."

"Hello," the woman said to him, fearless and kind as she smiles at him in the most beautiful smile ever. "Would you tell me how to get back up to the skies? I've fallen out of it accidentally, and I want to return home."

"The prince, upon hearing her request, smiles up at her and a plan to keep her by his side is formed in his mind. He told her that she would have to live a full life as a human, as he has been sent by the sky god to keep her by his side as his wife and be with him until she dies. Then she could go back up to the skies."

"The star believes him, and they rode back to his kingdom and a celebration is held in honor of the prince marrying the star. At night, the prince carried the star into his room, and there he told her that he is going to make love with her, and begun to undress himself."

"This is a stupid story…" Kanda said, huffing out when he heard that the stupid prince is going to fuck the star. Laia smiles and continues to touch his hair softly.

"The star is terrified. It knew that when someone took her virginity, she could never go back up to the skies again. The prince advances on her, and she ran. The prince caught her and ripped off her clothes, while she screams for help."

"Help does come, but it does not help her. Instead, it was a few men who begun to take off their clothes. The prince smiles at her and said to them, "I am going to do it first. Then you may have the desserts."

"It was then the prince enters her. The star screams for her lost virginity, then the prince begun to fuck her so hard she rocked with the intensity of their lovemaking. The prince spills his sperms inside her, and he allows the rest of them to rape her until they are satisfied."

"One by one, the star is raped, and her light dwindles until it is no longer glowing. She thought about it, since there is a penis already inside her, moving against her will as she screams for them to stop, she thought about killing herself after they are done."

"They finish fucking her, then the star, naked in her glory, hurled she out of the balcony, and the prince lost his bride that night."

"The star, upon coming into contact with the ground, she sinks in, and she becomes Persephone, the wife of Hades. She rages her revenge on the men who has raped her, and pulls them down to the underground with her and becomes her slaves for eternity. The end…"

"What a fucked up story…" Kanda commented, and Laia smiles at him.

"Daisya told me…" Laia said, and immediately, Kanda's veins popped. Laia heard it and laughs out loud.

"Your veins popped!" Laia exclaims loudly, laughing like there is no tomorrow. "Your veins popped!"

"Shut up, and don't say another word about Daisya that bastard. I don't wanna hear it," Kanda warned her, and stood up, brushing off the dust from his exorcist outfit. He pulls Laia up by her arms and held her by her waist.

"Shut up about Daisya, alright?" Kanda said to her, his arms around her waist getting tighter and tighter. "I don't like you saying another man's name in front of me…"

Laia smiles gently and hugged him back. She knew he is jealous, and she had told him that story just so that she could see him gets jealous. She might get a few lashings from him, but it is worth it at the end. He always hugs her whenever he gets jealous, because he wanted to hide the blush on his face from her.

To him, Laia is like a star. She shines brightly whenever she smiles, and when she wields her Innocence, her rage burns brightly like a star. She is beautiful, like a star, and she is kind, like the star. To him, everything about Laia is like a star. So bright, so shiny, and so beautiful and out of his reach.

But no matter how far she stood from him, he would always be able to reach to her in time to save her from all sorts of trouble. Like Komui had said to him earlier, whenever Laia disappears, the first person sent out to find her would be him, because his magical eyes have been set to find her at first glance no matter where she hides. His sight would zoom into her magically whenever she tries to hide from anyone.

And whenever she is found out, she would give out that cute little pout. Gods above, he thought to himself. She is so adorable… why is she so adorable?

To him, Laia is a star. She would forever be a star, shining brightly underneath his protection. He is an Exorcist, and another apostle from the Second Apostle Project that protects the heart. She is the star, and she is the Heart. She would always be there, shining brightly like a star of hope for everyone.

A star of hope for everyone.

The star of hope.

Star of hope.

Of hope.

Then, somebody told him her birthday. It was today.

"Happy birthday, Laia…" Kanda said to her, sliding a red rose into her hair. He knew she loves the flower, and had bought it for her on her birthday. She smiles widely and hugged him even tighter.

"Thank you, Yuu! I love you!" Laia exclaims, and Kanda gave a click of his tongue for her use of his first name. He didn't like it, but he like to hear it from her. He could never imagine her calling him by his second name. It would have sounded awful.

Kanda brought Laia back, and Lenalee is already waiting for her in front of the doors.

"Laia-san!" Lenalee called. "Where have you been? Come with me, there is something awful that has happened!"

"What is it?" Laia said to her, surprised and shocked with Lenalee being so worried. Lenalee pulls her to the staircases and into her room, and there, everyone tackles her and forces her to change into her new clothes as she screams at the sight of everyone tackling her.

"Kanda, I suggest you wait outside like the rest of them. Everyone would be at the hall there, and you can fetch her and make her your partner during that time when she comes down from the stairs…" Lenalee said, going off to her room to change into another dress.

Exorcist never had the time to celebrate anything. This time, for Laia's sake, everyone had put in an effort to make her birthday an event that no one would ever forget. Johnny had made Laia a new dress with a long skirt flowing to the floor, ruffles on the sides and laces everywhere. It was red in color, and her shoulders are entirely exposed. He had given the idea that everyone is to dance with her, and a sleeveless dress is most suitable in dancing.

Kanda waited obediently by the stairs for the arrival of Laia. The rest of the Exorcist has waited with him, and they smiles at him widely, as if taunting him for feeling nervous.

"Don't fret, BaKanda," Allen said, smirking at him widely. "She'll be gorgeous enough for you to faint after you blush…"

"Shut up, Moyashi!" Kanda retorted angrily.

"It's Allen, BaKanda!" Allen said back to him angrily as well.

The bell rung and a few of the lady Exorcists came out from the stairs doors. They came down gracefully, each one escorted by someone from the Black Order. Most of them are Exorcists paired up with Exorcists.

Then the last one came Laia. Kanda stares as she came down in ribboned high heels and in a wide red dress. Her long hair is evenly curled to perfection and it trails down her back and her front in long sleek and shiny locks. There is a small mask on her face, gold and red, and she is smiling with a red lipstick on her lips.

"She is beautiful…" Allen said to himself, as he drools over Laia's beauty. Laia came down and smiles at Kanda.

"Hi, Yuu!" Laia said to him, happy to feel beautiful for once.

Kanda had no words on his mouth. He couldn't form words. Not possibly with her this beautiful. Damn those people for making her look this beautiful…

"Y- Y- you…"Kanda stuttered, a hot blush on his face.

"I'm…?" Laia started.

"You... You're… beautiful…" Kanda stutters again, looking somewhere else. He didn't dare to look at her, for fear of having a nosebleed.

"Thank you…" Laia said to him, smiling widely at him and looks down shyly afterwards.

"Why don't you ask her for a dance, BaKanda?" Allen started from the sides, dancing with Lenalee in his arms. She looks ever so beautiful, and Komui gripped his handkerchief with tears running down his cheeks.

"Nii-san!" Lenalee happily calls him, and Komui is a happy man again, waving back at his beloved sister dancing in Allen's arms.

Allen pushes Kanda from behind and Kanda lurches forward with Laia in his arms, ready to dance in the dance floor.

"I have to tell you one thing…" Kanda started, staring into Laia's beautiful eyes. "I don't dance much…"

"Me neither, but I can teach you…" Laia said to him, and they begun to glide on the floor with Laia in his arms. One step by one step, Laia teaches Kanda how to dance, and soon he begun to glide with her in his arms on the dance floor.

They dances most of the night, stopping only for Laia to eat and drink to her fill, then they were dancing again. Kanda pulls her close whenever Daisya zooms past with Lenalee in his arms, and whenever someone else wants to ask for a dance from her, he would dance across and past them and ignores them, preventing Laia from even having to glance at their face.

"Yuu-kun," Laia called, and Kanda looks at her, paying attention to her. Gods above, she is so beautiful…

"What is it?" Kanda replied roughly, coughing to avoid another blush problem from arising.

"Why am I dancing with you all night?" Laia finally asks, and Kanda coughs more to avoid blushing. But his ears are already flaming red…

"Well…"

"And the others, they are asking for a dance as well… why don't you let me dance with them for a while? Just for a while…" Laia said to him, almost pleading with her puppy eyes.

_I am not gonna fall for this trick ever again_, Kanda said to himself, closing his eyes and held her tightly in his arms.

"No," Kanda said to her, breathing into her ears. He did not want her to see him blush, but she could feel just how hot his face is since he places it beside her own face. "You are mine tonight. All mine…"

The rest of the other male Exorcist stares on jealously with Laia dancing in Kanda's arms for the whole night. He did not barge even with the mighty General Exorcist patting his shoulders, and he brushes off his hands with a shrug, continuing to dance with Laia in his arms. All Laia did to calm down the angry general is smile at him, and the general melted.

The night went on smoothly with Laia in his arms. They dance through the night and Laia smiles, knowing that Kanda is the jealous and sweet type. He is her everything now. She loves him, and now, she knew he also loves her as well. They would be together for now, even for a short time, as Laia is a dying Exorcist. She couldn't possibly survive with that much Innocence patching up all her wounds and her broken bones. Hell, she has Innocences flowing in her blood, and her blood is one with the Innocence already.

With that much Innocence in her blood, she would die immediately when the Innocence leaves her body. The Innocence is fated to leave the Exorcists after the war is finished. They would forever be gone, never to return again. Allen as well. He would die with the Innocence, and fate has already given him his own fate, which is to die with Laia Elfreya, the girl that the God El loves…


	17. The End of the Ark

**Chapter 17**

**The End of the Arc**

Laia's Innocence retreated into her body slowly, her weapons all slides back into the moonstone's gateway. The diadem she is wearing is also retreating into their lotus-shaped painting on the centre of her forehead. She felt the wind blowing against her skin, and she felt her hair rippling against the wind behind her powerfully. She felt like flying, and her Innocences has made her dreams come true by giving her the power of flight. She loves her Innocences more than anything in the world, and in return, the Innocences loves her as well. It is willing to protect her from harm, and gave her the highest status all Exorcist couldn't achieve.

The Heart Apostle General.

More powerful, more skilled, and more strength to fight akuma and Noah. She did not go against the Earl, for that is Allen's fate to defeat him. She is the Heart Apostle General. She is stronger than all Generals combined. She is powerful, and she is dying.

Laia is dying…

She deactivates her Innocence and lets herself fall through the air, weaponless and powerless. She fell from the skies to the ground, and then she saw him.

Kanda Yuu.

The one man she has ever loved so much as to give her life and some of her powers to him just so that he could live longer, like an Immortal. If fate is kind to her, perhaps she could live a while longer. Just so that she could see him… one more time…

She saw him running to catch her from falling, and he screams her name loudly.

"Laia!" Kanda screams, calling her name with an anxious expression on his face. She smiles at him, and she said quietly.

"I shall salvage all of your souls, Exorcists and my friends…" she said to them quietly, and Kanda, who is close to her, saw what she is saying, and a tear sheds from his eyes.

She waves her hands, and exclaims loudly to the wind, "Innocences! Hadsudou!"

Her Innocences came out from the moonstone and her lotus birthmark-like mark on her forehead and wrapped itself around her in all their silver glory. Completely enveloped in silver and white, she sang a loud chorus of music and she fell to the ground in one clean and graceful movement. Slamming her staff that appears in her hand on the ground, a loud squeak of a bird-like calling musical tone is released from it, and everyone is almost thrown back by the power of the staff.

The power that came from the staff is so powerful and immense that all the akumas in the field of battle disintegrated into mere dusts when it comes into contact with the power shield that is generated by the staff. Nothing is left on the battle field, and everyone is safe once more. 

The exorcists stares in amazement at the power displayed by the Heart Apostle General. They stood up and stare at her, and at the field, and back at her again. Laia remains kneeling on the ground with the staff in her hand, and she is quiet and still.

"Did all the akumas…?" Lavi stuttered, staring in absolute disbelief at the scene in front of him.

"They all… disappeared…" Lenalee said to him, one hand covering her mouth in disbelief.

"No…" Allen said determinedly, one hand holding his sword and the other held his wound on his other shoulder. "They are all gone. Gone with Laia's powers… she destroys them with one hit of her staff…"

"Then… We've won the war…?" General Tiedoll said to them all in disbelief, watching the empty battle field with disbelief.

There is nothing left on the battle field, and Laia is still within her Innocence form. She stood up proudly and straightens her back. She has defeated the akumas with her Innocences, and she is rippling with power. She has saved everyone from their poor fate, and now, it is her turn to pay for the price…

Her Innocences disintegrated into thousands of silver scales like scales. She stood up there for a while with Kanda staring at her in front, and she fell down in a heap, losing her consciousness immediately.

"Laia!" Kanda exclaims from afar, rushing to her rescue. He sweeps her into his arms and held her close to him. Blood came out from her mouth and nose and she bleeds dark black blood, the texture running like a loose pipe.

"Quick!" Lavi exclaims. "To the medical camp!"

"Kanda sweeps her up into his arms and runs to the nearby medical camp. Her blood flows none stop, like loose pipe water, and it dripped to the ground and glows in a golden light of sort.

"Her blood…" Allen started. "It's glowing… why is it glowing?"

Allen touches her blood on the ground, and he had a sudden instinct that her blood is conjoined with her Innocences.

"Like mine…?" Allen mumbles to himself. He is surprised with the revelation, and is thoroughly shocked with it. How could Laia end up with her Innocence completely imbued into her blood till this stage?

Upon arriving, the doctors and nurses quickly went up ahead to try and save her. Before they could do so, she suddenly raises her hand up into the air and forms another barrier around the medical camp and around all the exorcists that has gathered around the medical camp. There is a squawk of a bird-like calling from her Innocence, and another one that calls for the sound of a bell.

"Laia Elfreya! Allen!" the Earl called, not dead from Laia's powers. Allen wields his Crown Clown and charges up ahead to the Earl, but is stopped by Lenalee.

"Laia has set up the barrier to protect us. It means that we cannot fight right now with our conditions like this…" Lenalee said, stopping Allen from going up ahead to fight the Earl.

"Everyone, come out," Kanda said to them all, and he leads them out of the camp and into the protection of the barrier with Laia in his arms. He exposes them to the barrier and, like last time, the barrier dripped healing liquid.

"The barrier made a kind of liquid that heals our wounds quickly…" Kanda said to them, and they stares in amazement at their wounds that heals rapidly after coming into contact with the healing liquid.

The Earl hits the barrier with his powers, but the barrier did nothing but held on to its stance powerfully. Even while dying, Laia is still able to exclude such powers.

"She is protecting us…" Lavi said to himself, one tear coming out from his eyes. "She's protecting us even when she is dying?"

"We are all she has right now…" Kanda said to Lavi, holding Laia in his arms. Her arms are still extended, with her Innocence making the barrier stronger and wider as time goes by. "We are all she has right now…" Kanda repeated the phrase, and strokes her head.

She is no longer bleeding out. Then suddenly, she is awake.

Her eyelids fluttered, and she is awake again.

"Laia," Kanda calls her. "You're awake?"

"Yuu…" Laia calls him, one hand reaching out to touch his face.

_Hana mau anata no sora ni[The flowers dance in your sky]_

_Inochi yo ibuite yasuragi no iro ni[Oh life, breath into the color of peace]_

_Subete o ageru yo…[I'll give you everything...]_

_Nakanaide futari no toki ga hajimaru[Please don't cry, our time is starting]_

"I love you, Yuu…" Laia said, one tear sliding out of her eyes. "In the next life, I would be yours completely… We'll see each other again…"

With that, she breaths her last breathe in his arms and faded away. Kanda's tears fell faster, and his tears fell onto her cheeks. She has faded away, leaving him alone in the world.

"Laia-san…" Lavi calls her, but she did not heard him. She cannot hear him… she is dead…

_La_i… Obienaide[La_i...Don't be daunted]_

_Yasashiku watashi o yonde[Call upon me tenderly]_

_La_i… Deaeta kiseki[La_i... It's a miracle that we were able to meet]_

_Ai wa… kono sekai ni michite yuku[Love is... filling this world]_

Everyone sheds a tear for the fallen Heart Apostle General. As strong as her person could be, she has died, leaving the rest of them to fight for the world's peace on their own.

_Habataku futari no hoshi ni[I'll flap my wings on our planet]_

_Yururi to someteku utsukushii iro ni[In a beautiful color slowly dye onto me]_

_Nan de mo dekiru yo…[I can do anything]_

_Hajimari wa owari no naka ni mebaeru[The beginning sprouts within the ending]_

Then, suddenly, she began to emit a strange pollen-like light. It came out from her, and it flew towards the Noahs, who had no way to chase it away. As soon as it settles onto the Noahs, the Noahs grey skin faded, leaving them in human form. They are defeated, and there are no more Noahs in the world…

_Kaze ni takusu inori[Entrusting prayers to the wind]_

_Towa no omoi kagayaku[My eternal thoughts shine]_

_Zuutto zuutto soba ni iru yo[I'll forever, forever be by your side]_

"_Sonna fuu ni tanpopo no tane ga[If the dandelion seeds make up their minds]_

_kokoro o kimeru to shitara donna toki da to omou"[In such a way, then when do you think that is?]_

After the Noahs are done in, the two Innocences came out of Laia's body. It forms a huge golden and red heart that pulsed with life. Slowly, the rest of the Exorcist's Innocence flew towards the heart, and it gathered around the heart and circles it in a never ending cycle.

Then, it burst into a shower of golden light, showering the world with its life powers and instills immortal-like powers on the Exorcists. Kanda, who is already an immortal with Laia's previous powers on his Lotus, stares on ahead as Lenalee, Allen, Lavi, Bookmans, Komui, and everyone else who are out there in the battle field becomes immortal, and glows with the golden power of the heart Innocence.

"What is this…?" Lenalee said, looking at her hands which are glowing with the power of the heart Innocence.

"Laia… she gave all of us immortal powers with the heart Innocence…" Kanda said in a quiet tone, and everyone marvels at their new found powers. They still retains their powers, and they finds that they have the power of flight. Laia has instills so many powers on all of the Exorcists, and they are surprised with their new found powers.

"Laia-san…" Lavi said to himself, looking at the dead Laia currently rests in Kanda's arms. Everyone mourns for the loss of their Heart Apostle General, and watches on as she laid there quietly in Kanda's arms.

_La_i… Konna ni kirei[La_i...so beautiful]_

_Futari no mabushii sekai[Our dazzling world]_

_La_i… Egao misete[La_i...show me your smile]_

_Yasashiku kami o nadete[Stroke my hair tenderly]_

_La_i… Furueru kajitsu[Lai_i...the fruit trembles]_

_Ai wa… ima futari ni tokete yuku[Love is...dissolving in us now]_

_Laia, to inochi nosete kaze ga mau[Place life with Laia and the wind dances]_

And as Kanda stares on ahead with Laia in his arms, he finally understood why the Heart would make everyone an immortal. They are to be a family, never to leave the other one behind while the rest is moving on. They are to become one, and a family, and wait for Laia's return to their side.

"_Sore wa ne sono sabaku ni tatta hitori dake de mo[It was the moment when I knew that there's someone,]_

_hana o aishite kureru hito ga iru tte shitta toki"[even if he was the one and only in the desert, who loves the flower]_


	18. 200 Years Later (The End)

**Chapter 18**

**200 Years Later…**

She skipped along the small red pathway in Britain, laughing happily with her friends and holding onto a small black bag full of books. Her long dark locks are braided on both sides, and it bounces as she skipped on the road.

"Ne, ne," she said to her friends. "There's a new café there downtown. It's called, October Café. Ne? It's so cute! Let's go there and try their food!"

Her friends laughed at her happy demeanor, and follow her to the small alleyway that leads to the unexpected clearing. There, at the corner of the small shop, is the small wooden plate with the name 'October Café' on it.

"It's so homey!" her friends gushed, and Laia laughs happily. They went into the shop and the shop's bells jingles merrily.

"Welcome," a handsome man with a bandanna and shocking red hair turns around to greet them with a wide smile. One of his eyes is covered in an eyepatch, and the rest of the girls gushed happily at the sight of the handsome man. "Table for 3 I presume?"

"Yes~" her friends gushed, and the man leads them to their table in front of the bar.

"Miss Lara here has already called in to make a reservation in front of the bars for 3 seats. My name is Lavi Bookman. Please call me if there is anything you need later. I shall leave you all to decide which drinks and food you want to order. I'll be back in a minute!" Lavi said to them, and went away to chat with another girl with long dark greenish hair in two high ponytails.

"He's so cute!" her friends gushes, and they giggles as they look onto the little menu set out for them on the bar table.

"I saw this online. This shop had a very interesting story about how they got their name. It says that once upon a time, there is a beautiful powerful lady who dies on October, and in memory of her, they made this café," Lara said to them, smiling widely at her friends. She felt so happy for being able to come to this beautiful little café.

There are not many customers around when they enters the café. But when they sat down, customers started to flood in. It would seem that they are lucky beings that would bring customers into any shop they went in. Usually with Lara in them.

"Ne, ne, Lara-san," one of her friends called. Her name is Michelle. "That Lavi-san is looking at you!"

When Lara looks on to the other side, Lavi quickly looks on another side and chatted with the girl with the greenish ponytail. The girl looks at Lara as well, and she smiles at her.

"Hello," the girl came up to them. "I am Lenalee Lee. We would like to sponsor you for a cup of Green Tea Latte. Perhaps you would like to take a picture of yourself posing for the drink? There would be a prize for the best Fresh Face Tea Lovers contest…"

"Oh, that would be awesome!" Lara said to her, and quickly filled up the form that Lenalee had gave out to her. "Oh, and can my friends join as well?"

"I am sorry," Lenalee said to her with a forlorn expression. "The contestant is already full. You are the last one to be joining us…"

"Oh, I see…" Lara said to her, sad that her friends couldn't join.

It was then Lara saw a sign that says 'Barista. Young and enthusiastic. If you are interested, please call xxx-xxxxxxx'.

"Does this position still open?" Lara asks Lenalee, and she smiles widely.

"Yes! Would you like to apply for the position? Up till now nobody is willing, because my brother is quite the tough guy around here…"

"Sure! I'd love to be a barista. Although I can only come after my school hours… I see that this shop opens until 1 a.m?"

"Yes. We have lots of customers late at night who loves to come for the cakes my fiancé, Allen, makes. Everyone likes what he makes, and he is usually stuck in the kitchen for the whole day making cakes and pastries and buns!" Lenalee said to her, and smiles widely before she went away.

"Hello!" a bright and happy man with purple long curly hair and spectacles said to them. "I am Komui, and I am your barista today! What would you like to drink!?"

"Mocha Latte, Macchiato and Green Tea Latte please," Lara said to him.

"Alrighty then! Be right up soon!" Komui said, whipping ingredients into the blender machine. Soon, their drinks are served up.

After they are finish with their drinks and food, the three of them bids everyone goodbye. Lara skipped to the entrance, and without a thought, she bumped into someone.

"Ouch! Oh, I'm so sorry…" Lara said to the man she had accidentally bumped into.

She looks up, and found that her friends are gasping in delight. The man is gorgeously handsome, with long dark blue hair and dark pair of smoldering eyes. He looks like an Asian man, and he looks devastatingly handsome.

"Kyaaaaa!" her friends gushed, and Lara stares on ahead, finding the man strangely familiar…

"You…" she started, trying to remember his name. It was on the edge of her tongue, and she couldn't say it out loud. She didn't know his name, and yet she knew it somehow. She knew this man. She knew him.

But she has never seen him in her entire life. So how did she know him?

"Sorry," the man said curtly, pulling her up from the ground. He puts in too much strength in pulling her, and in the end, she collided with his chest.

"Are you alright?" the man said to her gently, bending down to check if she has gotten any scratch. Lara stutters a reply back out and said to him.

"I- I'm fine… thanks…" she said to him, and blushes deeply in embarrassment.

"Kanda-kun," Komui called from behind the bars. "Be careful of the girls. They are my sweethearts!"

"Shut your mouth, you stupid thing…" Kanda angrily retorted.

"Oh, I'm so scared. Kanda-kun, don't scream at me…" Komui replies back mockingly, and the girls laugh out loud.

"So, your name is Kanda?" Lara said to him, smiling at him widely.

Kanda, upon seeing her smile, smiles up a little at her. Lara's friends saw that and gush out in total cuteness overload.

"Yes. I'm Kanda Yuu. And I am the head barista here."

"Kanda Yuu…" Lara said, repeating his name in her mouth. "Kanda Yuu… Kanda… Yuu-kun…"

"Lara-san," her friends called. "Do you know him?"

Lara stares at Kanda. Flashes of memories not belonging to her came into her mind. The shower of golden light after the heart like thing floating in the air burst into a thousand pieces… Kanda, the man standing in front of her, dressed in a black outfit with a silver star on his chest… Kanda, smiling at her and holding her in his arms as he dance across the dance floor with her in his arms… Kanda, who stood in front of her, ready to kiss her lips with his…Kanda, kissing her softly on her lips, then pushes his tongue into her open mouth and ravages her mouth with his tongue… Kanda, who crouches above her, moves his hips in and out of her open thigh, with blood dripping off the table as they makes love for the first time…

Then comes Laia… the Heart Apostle General…

She is the sister of the 14th. She is also the one and only human to have lived past 7000 years concealed behind a sealed tree with her Innocence embedded as the seal surrounding the tree. She is saved by one of the Noahs, and she is protected by her Innocence. Soon, she wields two Innocences, and the Innocence saves her many a times, embedding deep into her blood. And as she dies, the Innocence burst into a thousand pieces of golden light, which showers upon the Exorcists, making them immortals who are able to live a thousand years again and again in a single lifetime.

She stares up at Kanda, and he looks back down at her. She remembers their kiss, she remembers their moments, and she remembers how she used to rummage through his bag for food, and she knew he is jealous whenever Daisya is close to her or playing with her. She knew everything, but she chooses to ignore most things as Kanda is not the kind of person to be jealous over something for nothing. He likes her, and she patiently waits for him to make his move.

Then there is the Black Order. Madarao has died from the Noah's invasions, and from there, she is alone in the world again. Until Kanda Yuu once more enters his life, and stole her virginity. She remembers how tightly he held her as he fucks her doggy styled, and turns her over again and makes love with her, his penis deeply penetrating her vagina and she screams as she comes again and again, with him spilling his seed inside her.

"Yuu…" Lara repeated his name on his lips, and Kanda dropped everything he held in his hands and holds her shoulders tightly.

"You remembered?" Kanda said, anxious to know the truth from her lips. She stares on ahead at him, and slowly, she reaches for his face with one of her hands, gently touching his face and brushes off his bangs softly.

"Yuu… I remembered… I am the Heart Apostle General… I've died in the war…" Lara said to him, a tear sliding out of her eyes.

Kanda pulls her into his embrace and hugged her tightly. It was then the story ends, with Lara, who has born into the world into the exact same Laia Elfreya years and years ago. She is a new person now, with Laia's memories deeply embedded into her mind. She remembers everything, including Kanda Yuu, the man she has loved for so long and so long ago. Both of them found each other after 200 years, and the rest of the Exorcists came out to see the couple rekindled their old flames.

Lara, the girl who looks exactly like Laia Elfreya, becomes a new person to love Kanda Yuu once more in the new era. Now, they hugged each other, determined to never leave the other behind ever again.

The End


	19. October Cafe Chaos

**October Café Chaos**

The day is clear, and the birds are singing sweet lullabies and songs to passersby. Some naughty kids shoots stones at the birds, and the birds quickly flew away.

Kanda walks in the nearby park with Lara, wherein he took the time and the initiative to hold her hands tightly in hers, afraid that she would just disappear again in a flurry of golden lights like the last time she disappear as the Heart Apostle General.

Now that Lara is in his hand, he takes the time to observe her completely. She looks lovely in her ponytails. She had tied her hair on both sides, and her ponytails are long and curled, hung delicately in front of her chest. She smiles slightly, knowing that Kanda is staring at her. Kanda gave a light smile and a light scoff, and looks in front of him, coming to the part of the park where there is a huge water fountain, impressive enough to send Lara gasping.

"Oh my goodness!" Lara exclaims loudly. "It's so beautiful!"

Lara wanted to rush forward and let go of Kanda's hand, but Kanda held her hand hard in his. Lara was surprised, and she looks back to see Kanda with a forlorn expression on his face.

"I don't want you to go away…" he said to her softly and sadly.

Lara stopped. She is held back by how sad Kanda looked. Gods above, why is this man so sad…

"I'm not going anywhere…" Lara said to him. "I'm just checking out the fountain…"

"The last time I let go of your hand…" Kanda started sadly in a monotone voice. "You went away… you never came back… and… I couldn't save you…"

"Yuu-kun…" Lara said, coming back to him and held him in her embrace. "I'm not going anywhere anymore… I am here to stay…"

"You died…" Kanda said to her, sitting down heavily on the stone bench nearby. "You died… and you made us all immortal… why?"

"You idiot…" Lara said to him, smiling and patting his head. He felt soothed with her hands patting his head. Normally, he hated people touching his hair and his head. It made him felt inferior. But now, he only felt calmness. He liked her hand there.

"You little idiot… my idiot Kanda Yuu…" Lara said to him. She took a deep breath and continues. "I gave all of them immortal life, just so that you, my Kanda Yuu, won't feel alone living in this wretched world. They would be your family, and together, you will survive the ages, and not alone…"

"I've guessed that much…" Kanda said, lifting his head out from his hands and look at her. Gods above, she is so beautiful. "You are never the type to force someone into immortality alone…"

"I couldn't leave you alone behind while the rest moves on right?" Lara said to him with a smile, and leans into him, putting her head on his shoulders.

"I figured that out too…" Kanda said to her, sighing to himself that everything is well again.

"So tell me," Lara started, fingering the tip of his long hair. It had grown up to his waist, and it kept on growing and growing and growing. He had the ideas to slice some of it up with Mugen, but Lenalee went outraged and scolded him for the stupid ideas. At last, everyone lined up to have their hair cut by Lenalee in the back of October Café shop.

"Tell you what?" Kanda said to her, kissing the top of her head and heard her giggle in is embrace. He smiles.

"Well, how did you end up as the Head Barista there at October Café? Isn't it Komui?" Lara asks him, smiling at the sight of him making coffee for her.

"Komui?" Kanda chuckles. "He's better off inventing new coffee and cappuccino machines than making coffee for customers. The last time someone allows him to do it; he put some parasites in their drinks. They all had to be sent to the hospital for a month."

Lara sat up suddenly, her eyes bulging wide open in shock.

"For real?"

"For real," Kanda said with a serious expression on his face.

They heard someone screamed "HELLO!" from behind.

Then when they turned around, no one is there. Only the sounds of rustling leaves left behind.

"What was that?" Lara said, curious and feeling a little scared at some time. The loud sound was so sudden, and it surprised her from the inside out.

"You want me to go check?" Kanda said, holding onto his bamboo sword. Truly, it was Mugen in disguise of a wooden sword. Inside the wooden sword is a hollowed wood, wherein the Mugen is then inserted into it to make it look innocent. Even though the Innocence inside Mugen is gone, Kanda still liked Mugen enough to not be apart with it. And so, Komui remake Mugen with his brains and put it in a wooden sword for him to carry it around. Because it was the 21st century and people do not carry dangerous weapons around anymore.

You could be put into jail for it.

"I think… not," Lara said to him, tugging onto one of his arms and made him sit down.

"Why not?" Kanda ask her.

"Because… that huge bombastic 'hello' over there is Komui… I recognize his voice. The rest of your family must have run here to watch us dating…"

Immediately, Kanda withdrew his Mugen and charges upon to the bushes nearby. Everyone screamed. There were chaos everywhere, and Lara was running behind Kanda to stop him from killing anyone.

"I'll fucking kill all of you!" Kanda screamed, and Lara followed behind him.

"Yuu! Stop it!" Lara screamed, but her screams went onto deaf ears.

"Yuu-kun! S top it!" Lavi screamed, covering his ears as he ran around with a wide smile on his face.

"Don't call me that name, you stupid rabbit!" Kanda exclaims loudly, and slashed at Lavi. He hopped out of the place fast enough, and ran as fast as he could away from the park.

"Iyaaaa! Yuu-kun is so scary! He's so mean!" Lavi screamed again, and Allen came by to run with him.

"BaKanda! Stop it!" Allen called, using one of his baking tools to stop Kanda. To be precise, it was a whisk.

CLANG!

Their weapons came together. Allen still retains the monstrous strength his monstrous arm had when he still has his innocence. He is the one who usually saves Lavi's stupid neck when his mouth is running.

"BaKanda, stop it!" Allen said again.

"Look who's talking, Moyashi!" Kanda gritted his teeth angrily.

"It's Allen, BaKanda!" Allen exclaims angrily, slapping Kanda on the face.

But he did not slap Kanda on the face.

He slapped someone else.

That someone else came in to save Kanda.

And he had accidentally slapped her.

The girl that Allen had accidentally slapped slowly raised her hand to her face, and she held her hand over the burning red mark on her face. So surprised, she couldn't speak, and just stares at Kanda.

"Yuu…" Lara said to him.

"Yuu…" then, suddenly, she begun to tear up and calls his name in a sad and sorrowful tone.

"Yuu-kun…!" she calls his name, crying even harder now. It hurts to have Allen slap her so hard.

Everyone gasped as Kanda's cloud of fury gathered above his head. Then, they started to run.

"Allen! Run!" Lenalee exclaims, and Allen really started to run.

"You slapped my Lara!?" Kanda exclaims loudly, slashing Mugen at Allen's direction.

"I'm sorry! It was an accident!" Allen screamed and ran for his life.

"Accident my ass!" Kanda called him, slashing Mugen dangerously behind Allen. Some of his clothes were slashed, and Allen cried for help.

"Somebody help me!" Allen screamed.

And so, it ends. The happy times they have as a whole family again thrives through the autumn season for love. Allen runs from Kanda tearfully while crying for help, while Lara continues to cry and held her burning red face. Kanda, angrily, chases Allen after he had accidentally slapped Lara.

As per Lara's wish, everyone became a family. They are all immortals due to the power of Laia, the adopted sister of the 14th. The Noah's too, are immortals. Everyone who is out there in the field of battle becomes immortal. Occasionally, the Noahs came to visit the Exorcists in their small café, and usually, the 1st deciple, Road Camelot, would order everything from the café and ate it all on her own while Tyki watches on with a shocked expression. Road still goes after Allen, and with Lenalee there, Road is defeated in body size and shape.

Everyone had a good time being together. They have gone all over the world to search for Laia in her reincarnated form. And in Paris, they found her. In Paris, they found the reincarnated form of Laia, who is named as Lara Evenskie. In Paris, it is where the Black Order first started. In Paris, it is where Laia is sealed. In Paris, it is where Kanda had his first kiss with Laia. In Paris, they found each other again.

In here, they are one again. Together, they live past the time in their immortal bodies, and Laia, who is fed with Kanda's magical blood as the 2nd Exorcist project, lives again as an immortal, and they were happy forever.

The End.


	20. The Last Gathering of the Black Order

**Hello everyone! This is Artemis615! Kyaaaa!**

**Well, to tell the truth, I wanted to continue to write In The Light. But since I have written the end of this chapter, I just put in some moments that I have not managed to write in the fics. This chapter depicts how the rest of the Exorcist lives after Laia's death, and how her body is to be put into the graves. I hope you will enjoy this story as much as I do, because I love Laia Elfreya and Kanda Yuu! Kyaaaa~!**

**Well, I am sorry if Laia Elfreya is too powerful for your tastes, but I made her this way with a purpose. She couldn't live long due to the powers of all the Innocence she wields, and to atone for the powers she has, she will die when the war ends. Her life is dwindling, and she saves Kanda Yuu and the rest of the exorcists's life. **

**I especially love the part when she would make the barrier when she is asleep or passed out. I so love that moment. It is so cool! Gosh, I am praising myself. Hahahaha! Well, I really love that part, and the part when she passes away. I was going to make that part longer, but oh well, she is going to die anyway, so why not make it faster and decrease her sufferings? **

**And that part when the golden particles came out of her body and forms the Heart? Oh, it's so nice too! I love it! I love how Laia is able to protect her friends and the rest of the Exorcist even after she has dies, and I love the part when Lavi cries, saying that she is still protecting them even when she is dying, and Kanda tells him that they are all she has left in the world. If she does not save them, then who does she wanted to save?**

**For Laia's sake, her brother, the 14th made the Black Order. And in that Black Order, a kind of new weapon called the Innocence is forged by the 14th himself, who made it for her. It was all for her, and for that, he hides his identity and silently make the Black Order to fight the Earl of Millennium. The 14th loves Laia very much as his adopted sister, and for that, he is willing to do anything to make sure she is alive and well and away from disaster. The Black Order survives to protect the Heart, and he made sure to let Hevlaska know in the writings of the cubes that the Girl that the God of El Loves would come and save them and salvage all the souls of the Exorcists. Hevlaska knew she is the one, and had made sure Komui knows about it too!**

**And so, enjoy my last chapter. I wish I could write more, but I will make sure to write up something more if there is another idea for this story. I love In The Light! So I hope you will love this story too!**

* * *

**The Last Gathering of Black Order**

Laia's body is carried by Kanda back to the headquarters. Kanda sheds tears of sadness at the loss of his beloved as she lay there quietly in his arms, not moving forever and growing cold. The rest of the Exorcists cried as well at the loss of their Heart Apostle General, and mourns for her loss. The Noahs disappears, but somehow, the Exorcist knew they would return, because Allen had told them that Road Kamelot informs him of this particular event. They said they are well and not Noahs anymore, and wouldn't wreak any havoc anymore forever.

A huge funeral is held in place of the fallen Heart Apostle General. Everyone attended the funeral, including Malcome Leverier. He came with a black rose in his hand, and he places it on her glass coffin with a sad expression on his face. He just wanted the world to be safe, not for her to die just like that. But her death serves to bring the rest of the group together as one, and they become a family after they becomes immortal. A black tombstone is erected in the funeral grounds, and together with the rest of the fallen exorcists, Laia is buried there in a huge mausoleum, and no one can enter it. It is richly decorated with gems and other valuable stones. Stories of her bravado and her strength as the Heart Apostle General is marked there with gold ink on the walls, and they even drew a portrait of her, hanging it in the grand halls of every church in the whole world, telling everyone that this girl has saved the world with her strength alone. They made it in such a way that the mausoleum is forever cold just so that her body won't rot. They put her in a glass coffin, and slowly, they lowered her body into the mausoleum.

Then suddenly, her body disintegrates. It slowly becomes flower petals, and soon, nothing is left in the coffin. Everyone panicked, and thought of black magic that has settles into the Black Order.

"No," Kanda suddenly said, silencing the whole panicked group immediately with his booming voice. He kneeled down by the glass coffin and watches as Laia's face disappears in a flurry of white rose petals. "She has been reborn. We only need to find her. And to do that, this Black Order must disappear.

He touches the black tombstone with his fingers.

_Here lies The High Priestess Queen, the Heart Apostle General._

_**Laia Elfreya**_

_Rest in peace. Loved by all. Respected, and forever embedded in our memories._

_Goodbye Laia._

_Love from…_

_Kanda Yuu, Lavi Bookman, Bookman Senior, Komui Lee, Lenalee Lee, Allen Walker, Chaoji Han, Bak Chan, Baron Arystar Krory III, Miranda Lotto, Noise Marie, Reever Wenham, Timothy Hearst, Johnny Gill, Jerry, Frio Tiedoll, Hevlaska,Klaud Nine, Winter Sokaro and Howard Link._

With that, the Black Order dissolves. No one spoke about the Black Order. The Priests and the Fathers and Popes all have no way in retaining the Exorcists. They went away, and they went as a family in a huge group of Exorcists, proudly leaving the Black Order with money in their huge bags.

General Marian Cross came back unharmed. His Innocence has left him, and he felt that it is safe for him to return back to them. He did not receive Laia's immortal powers, and so, he dies after a few years from cancer.

The rest of the Exorcists move on. Timcampy is brought back to life by Komui, and he continues to serve Allen as his best friend. It would bring back news about the search of Laia's reincarnated form, but for those years, his search went empty handed. But still, they waited.

They knew, Laia would not leave them behind and move on. She would come back one day. And she would, for them. For their sake, she would come back.

And so, the rest of the Exorcist who are immortals went on to live their life together. They bought a huge estate with the money of the Black Order, and lives there. There are many houses inside the estate, and they all changes their surname to Elfreya, in memory of Laia herself, who has bestowed them immortal lives. Only Kanda and Lavi Bookman refused to change their name, and remains as Kanda Yuu and Lavi Bookman for the rest of their immortal lives.

For years, they searched for Laia. They moved from estate to estate, and when the time is up, they would move away so that people won't realize that they do not age. They would all have dinner together, and Jerry would cook up a sumptuous meal for all of them. They even have a small farm full of animals and vegetables growing at the back of the estate, the same goes for some fruit trees. They have plenty of food, and they made some booming business with Lavi's brilliant head.

Lavi is the last surviving bookman. His grandfather, Bookman Senior, passed away due to old age. He, too, did not receive Laia's immortal powers that day, and remains a mortal.

Link, on the other hand, becomes Allen's best buddies. Although he still retains his serious face, Link has swore to guard Allen forever. Since he is an immortal, he will guard him forever as his bodyguard, and often went into a bicker with Allen with how he eats.

Allen's appetite has gone down to what a normal human would have usually. And he is grateful for it. He had thanked Laia from the depth of his heart, and he thought that it is a good thing that Laia had took back the Innocence's powers. He wonders about the hole in his heart, but he is still well from it even after the Innocence has been extracted out from him after the war. He guesses that with Laia's healing liquid, he has healed from everything, including some scars, and his hand had went back to normal despite it retaining the monstrous powers when he still has his Innocence.

They travel around and finally decided to settle in a small place in Paris. They open an October Café, in memory of Laia's death during a cold October afternoon. Kanda put up the plate of the October Café himself, and became Head Barista. Many customers came at Jerry's delicious food and Allen's superb cakes and cookies. Soon, the small café is famous.

They still bought estates, and from that, they are rich as hell. Money never ran out, and they are dressed in the latest fashions available in Paris. Gucci, LV, Mont Blanc, everything expensive and high class is bought by Lenalee for all of them. Lenalee, of course, never got over the joy of having her Innocence taken away from her. She couldn't forget Laia, and had, like the rest of them, waited for her return patiently.

They made a statue of her in their estate. It was made to look like Laia, and that statue serves as their memory of how Laia looks like in the past when she is still alive. They made her according to how she looks like when she is still alive, and they even made it so that she held her Innocences in her hands. Kanda always used to stand out there and stares at the statue, imagining to him that it was Laia that had came back and stood there to stare at him.

The statue is made from the finest porcelain, and the carver who had made the porcelain statue had praised the beauty of the girl, going as far as to carve out the lotus shaped mark on her forehead that serves as the center of her Innocence power. For such a kind person, fate is not kind to her. She dies while protecting her friends, and still does so when she could.

The carver made the statue so that she is holding onto her Innocence staff, while the other is made to hold Kanda's lotus sand time. Forever it blooms in her hand, and it made him felt as if from the start, his fate is already grasped in her hand. She sacrificed herself for him, and for his sake, she dies. For his sake, she evolves, and becomes the long awaited Heart Apostle General. Were it not for him, the Heart would never truly present itself in front of everyone in the Black Order. Her fate as the Heart is cruelly tormented by Leverrier, but nevertheless, she came back for them, and protected them with all the powers she have. From then on, the lotus time sand is held in Laia's porcelain figure's hand, and it stood there till this day.

Kanda frequently went out to find new materials for his coffee and tea in the café. New ideas came in, and their little café became famous with Mocha Latte and Green Tea Ice Blended Latte. Many came to their shop to buy the cute drinks, which he could draw on with milk and make a face of sort on the drinks. As for the rest of the Exorcists, some of them stayed with the Café, while others went to open a flower bouquet shop or a fruit stall. But they always went home together and stay together. Immortality becomes them, but at the same time, they couldn't bear to leave each other apart.

It was too much to bear. Being alone and watching everyone beside you grow old and die is too much for them to handle. No one could bear the sadness of death. They'd rather kept it to themselves and not make new friends, and instead stays together forever.

And wait for Laia's return.

And she did.

After 200 years, a girl came into the shop with her friends to try out October Café, which is famous throughout the streets in the little streets of Paris. Its quiet and tranquil café shop provides everyone the sort of peace they wanted that they couldn't get anywhere else, and the café shop is expanding to a huge block of buildings. Soon, all of the Exorcists came back and work in the café shop. They work as baristas under Kanda's supervision, and everyone is happy.

Everyone was silent when they saw just how similar this girl looks like to Laia Elfreya, their fallen Heart Apostle General. Only Lavi regains his composure quick enough and serves her, stalling her from leaving and made Lenalee talk to her. They wanted to make sure it is her, but she did not seems to recognize them.

She did not recognize them.

Not any one of them.

Save one.

Kanda Yuu.

The moment Kanda Yuu came in and bumped into Lara Evenskie, she recognize his voice and his face. And that hair.

His long dark blue hair.

He still wore it in a ponytail. He never changes, but his bangs are longer, and it frames his face handsomely.

"Kanda… Yuu-kun…" Lara said to him, and Kanda melted.

He hugged her, and from then on, he swears not to leave her for any reason at all. They would be together for eternity, and until time ends, they wouldn't be separated.

"Don't ever leave me again..." Kanda whispers into her ear, and Lara smiles widely.

"Never again..." she said, and lets go of Kanda.

"Lara-san," Lavi hugged Lara tightly after Kanda, and Kanda flashed out his Mugen onto his neck. But he worries not. No, no. Not with Allen there.

Not with Allen Walker there to save his neck.

Oh, how he loves this moment.

Allen had his magical whisk out and saves Lavi's neck by blocking the terrifying Mugen.

"Take. Your. Sword. Off. BaKanda," Allen said to him, gritting his teeth at the result.

"Lara-san! I miss you so much!" Lavi said happily, and a vein popped in Kanda's forehead.

"Your. Hand!" Kanda gritted his teeth, pressing further into Mugen and Allen's whisk.

"Yuu…" Lara said to him, one hand holding onto Kanda's arms. And Kanda melted.

"Just this once, you stupid rabbit…" Kanda said to him, and Lavi swings Lara in his arms.

For that short moment, everyone is happily reunited with Lara, the reincarnated form of Laia Elfreya. Everyone came out and greeted Lara, who remembers every one of them. They were happy that she came back finally, and for once, Kanda smiles widely at her, and everyone saw just how in love they are with each other. Finally, Kanda is not alone anymore.

Finally, they are reunited, and finally, they are one again.

Forever, they are together, and they stayed together in centuries to come. Kanda marries Lara, and Lenalee come together with Allen. All the other Exorcists are happily together as a family, and for once, no one is sad and lonely anymore.

The Heart Apostle General came back in a brand new form, and named as Lara Evenskie. There are no more war, no more sadness, and no more tears and death. In this new era, they lived under the roofs of October Café and becomes one of the richest people ever to live in Paris, and together, they live their immortal life to the fullest.


End file.
